A World of Saiyans
by Michelle18
Summary: What if Bardock survived the destruction of planet Vegeta? What happens when a member of the royal family is abducted? From an old enemy? Will the androids help? Or are they all doomed? Will life ever be the same? Complete!
1. Prologue

AN: Anything in bold is a vision.

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z but if you know where I can buy it I would be much obliged if you contacted me. I do happen to own all of my original characters, you know who they are! Now read!

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A World of Saiyans

Prologue

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"I have given the gift to you so that you may see the downfall of your race as we had too."

The aliens words echoed in Bardock's head as he painfully pulled himself up to the balcony. There! Frieza's ship! He gathered his power preparing to charge the ship though he knew it was near impossible he would win the fight against Frieza. He hesitated a second longer, picturing himself... accidentally triggering a vision... 

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"We will no longer be your puppets!" He screamed as Frieza came into view. "We don't take orders from you anymore! Here take this!"

With all his might he threw the last of the energy he possessed, hurtling through the upper atmosphere and into space. It had Frieza's name written all over it.

The lizard lifted a finger and created a ki ball that easily spanned a mile in width. It swallowed his blast with little effort and came at him with deadly intent.

He faced it with all the pride of his people. He would be damned if he ran now. With his last coherent thought he saw the future... his son would fight Frieza. He smiled and died with the planet.

Bardock fell to his knees gasping. If he went he would die... and if he ran then he would be a coward, a shame to the saiyan race. No... If he went to the planet where his son was... He could train him... His son would fight the lizard anyway... wouldn't it be better if Kakarot was better prepared... Plus, Kakarot needed to know his heritage... If the planet was destroyed then all knowledge of the saiyan would be lost... 

Bardock was screwed.

He shook his head, time was short. If he left then he would be a coward but live to see the end of Frieza. If he charged, he would live for about two seconds and prevent nothing.

Bardock glared at Frieza's ship with hatred before turning to find the launching pad. He quickly located and programmed the coordinates into a pod. _The saiyan race will live on to destroy you! _Was his last thought before passing out from the sleeping gas in the pod. The saiyan had one last glimpse of his home planet before the gas kicked in. His world went black and the planet disappeared forever.

He was unaware of the shockwave from the planet knocking him of course and cutting off his engines. He had no way of knowing he would drift for more than thirty years in stasis...

End Prologue

AN: AHHHH! I'm back! Oh, don't worry I should have the first chapter up soon! Maybe on Saturday! Review!


	2. Chapter One It Begins

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Disclaimer: I do not own dragonballz... Ava and her kids belong to me, though...

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AN: Ok, you guys, the first chapter is a go! Remember this takes five years after Broken Pieces so if you haven't read that story this one might not make to much sense. Alrighty then! GO!

Chapter One

Thirty odd years later... Somewhere deep in space on a planet long forgotten, an alien species gathered ominously.

They shared the same burnt green skin and bulging eyes, small compact bodies, and horrible pink eyes. They were relatively unknown in the universe until now.

As one being they approached a male as completely different from them as chess is to checkers.

The lone male was tall and lithe with an almost dangerous air about him that was strangely elegant. He was extremely humanoid except for the fact that his ears came to a point that was vaguely elfin and teeth that were sharper than a razor blade. He was a mercenary.

"Will you help us?" The mass pleaded.

The figure looked down at them with barely concealed contempt.

"You still haven't said what I will gain from this?"

"The challenge of a lifetime. Surely you have heard of the saiyans power," the leader of the green-skinned aliens spoke.

"Of course I have," the mercenary snapped, "but I also heard that Frieza killed them all."

"He did, killed all but four. Two of the four died and one male escaped the destruction of the home planet as a babe. He surfaced recently so that makes the saiyan number three," the leader pleaded.

"How can you be certain?" The mercenary was now interested.

"Frieza was almost killed by the escapee and swore to finally finish the job. He was part machine when I saw him last as he paced waiting for the ship to refuel. He was ranting to himself about how he would have his revenge on the monkeys." The leader smiled seeing the excitement in the man's eyes.

"Frieza, King Kold, and Coola were never seen again after they went to the blue planet."

"Three male saiyans," The mercenary mused.

"No, two males and one female," the leader interrupted his musings, "that's why you need to destroy them before they can repopulate."

"Hmmm," the male nodded his head, "I will do this. I can see your cause for alarm, after all, the last thing we need is another world full of saiyans."

**

17 opened his eyes and sighed. He was lying in a cave on a pile of furs with a female saiyan wrapped around him, two kids in an adjoining cavern, and he had never been happier. Five years of his life were gone and he only wished to spend more of them exactly like this.

He smiled his contentment and hugged Ava closer to him, enjoying her warmth, and taking advantage of the fact that she was sleeping. Though, he knew Ava loved him, she just wasn't the type to show it in public or even in front of the kids for that matter, so he took his chances by hugging her while she dreamed. Still, he couldn't blame her for being her, she was who she was: a saiyan royal.

She groaned, stretching like a cat against him before opening her eyes to glare at him.

"Hello," 17 smiled at her.

"Were you watching me again?" She growled softly as she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Yes," 17 grinned as she swatted at him.

Ava didn't like to be watched when she was helpless or so she told 17 on numerous occasions. Though she said nothing as she got up to leave the cavern.

17 got up slowly and stretched, wondering what they were going to do today. Ava apparently had her life planned out, while this usually would have annoyed him, the way she went about it made things interesting. Though, some of things she planned were very weird or just plain bizarre, he was never bored. Plus she was very flexible and would even plan things for him to do, it was almost funny really, she would declare the day his, and they would do whatever he wanted.

But those days weren't often, anymore, since he had decided to take his family to an amusement park. He had thought that it would be fun and different since his family was very isolated, living in the woods. Things had been going pretty well, even though Ava was a bit uncomfortable around all the humans, and the kids weren't used to hiding their power in public.

Everything went downhill from there... He had bought ten pounds of candy, remembering his family's eating capabilities, and found he didn't want to hold it... so he let the kids hold the bag...

He should have realized something was wrong when the kids eyes had glazed over and the bag of candy had disappeared... then the kids disappeared... 

Flashback. "17, I do not like it here, there are too many humans here," Ava glared at him.

17 rolled his eyes.

"Loosen your gears a bit, Ava, and have some fun."

Ava smiled at him from under her lashes.

"17."

"Yes?" 17 grinned.

"Where are our offspring?"

"The kids? What do you mean where are they? They're right behind us..." he trailed off as he turned to find both four-and-a-half-year-olds gone.

"Um..." 17 turned back to Ava who was pointing up.

17 tilted his head up and winced.

Sasoli and Zarah were barely seen blurs, chasing each other around in the air screaming with high-pitched giggles.

Ava tapped her mate.

"What was in the bag you gave them?" She asked almost politely.

"Almost ten pounds of candy," 17's eyes returned to the sky where the kids were trying to find out who could spin in circles the fastest.

"Candy? What is that made of?" Ava's smile hardened slightly.

"Um... milk chocolate contains sugar, milk, cocoa butter, chocolate, Soya lecithin, an emulsifier, and vanillin, and an artificial flavoring--"

"Why did you give them almost ten pounds of candy of sugar?!" Ava started growling, not caring about the people who were starting to stare.

17 coughed his answer.

"What was that? I didn't catch that android," Ava fumed.

"I... didn't want to hold it.." 17 cringed slightly at the murderous expression she shot him, "I didn't think they would eat it all--"

"You didn't THINK at ALL! DID you?!" She screamed at him, not caring about the people who started to whisper and sneak glances at them.

"Um... Ava... calm down..." 17 pleaded softly.

"CALM DOWN!" 

Ava punched him, launching him into a toy stand.

17 sat up amidst flamboyantly colored stuffed animals in time to glimpse Ava take flight in an attempt to catch their offspring. He shook himself as he rubbed his jaw, his wife was getting stronger.

"Hey man, are you all right?" A random man offered 17 a hand.

17 waved away the hand and got up without assistance after untangling himself from an neon green octopus.

"Of course I am all right," 17 replied absently.

"Who was that chick?" 

17 grinned suddenly.

"My wife."

"Your wife?!" The shock was evident in his voice.

"Yes, she's mad at me right now." 17 smirked.

17 turned his attention to the sky, where the twins kept eluding their would be captor. He laughed softly when she let out a scream of frustration, the candy must have given the kids a sugar-induced speed.

"If you will excuse me," 17 lifted off the ground slowly, shocking the man.

Ava dove for Sasoli, who merely giggled and zipped out of the way. Zarah just grinned.

"Sasoli! Zarah! Come to me this instant!" She screamed.

"Silly, silly, you have to catch us!" Sasoli waved her finger at her.

"Show us how fast a saiyan can be," Zarah grabbed his sister's hand and took off deeper into the park.

Ava growled, following behind as close as possible.

17 followed as well but slowly and laughing quietly.

The twins giggled bouncing of the roller coasters wildly, it was impossible to predict where they would end up. They lost Ava after two minutes.

Zarah paused suddenly in mid-air spotting a group of kids about their age.

"What is it?" Sasoli grinned at her brother.

"Look," Zarah pointed at the small humans.

"Let's play with them!" Sasoli grabbed Zarah's arm and dropped to the ground.

The other children were waiting in line for a litte kids ride when the demi-saiyans landed.

"Holy scrap!" One shouted as they scattered and then regrouped curiously.

The twins giggled at their reaction.

"How did you do that?" The self-proclaimed leader of the group asked the blue-eyed spiky haired twins.

"Do what?" Zarah bounced lightly on his toes eager to be off.

"Fall from the sky," he asked, the other kids gathered behind the tawny haired boy.

"We didn't fall! We flew!" Sasoli giggled at the boy's silly expression.

"You can fly?" The group whispered as one.

"Yeah, it's easy," Zarah threw out his chest with pride as he had seen his Uncle do.

"Who taught you?" The boy demanded.

"Mom," Sasoli's tail twitched, she was starting to get bored, and the energy in her blood demanded she move,"Who taught you?"

"No one," The boy admitted ashamed.

"You don't know how to fly!" Zarah laughed, who were these weirdoes!

"Can you teach me?" The boy pleaded to Sasoli who was hard-pressed not to laugh as well.

"Sure," Zarah grinned evilly, "We'll teach you the way our mom taught us. Right Sasoli?"

Her eyes lit up mischievously as she nodded. She picked up Tom and tossed him to Zarah, who in turn, blasted up roughly about a hundred, and dropped him!

"Fly!" Sasoli cheered as she joined her brother in the sky.

"What's he doing?" Zarah asked his counterpart curiously.

"I don't know..." Sasoli frowned. "He's supposed to be flying!"

The boy screamed as he plunged to the ground. He thought of his mother and father... his dog he had forgotten to feed that day... the ride he had never got on... He came to an abrupt halt!

"Oh no..." The saiyan duo gasped as one when their mom glared at them as she dropped the hapless boy an inch off the ground.

"Run!" Zarah grabbed Sasoli.

"She's going to catch us!"

They bounded away and before long came upon a ride in the making. They ducked inside and lucky for everyone concerned the place was deserted. They laughed themselves sick.

"She almost caught us!" Zarah rolled on the ground.

"We are in so much trouble!" Sasoli hugged him around the middle.

Zarah pushed her away.

"Keep your distance woman!"

They grinned at each other, this was one of many games they played, and never tired of. They grinned at each other in anticipation.

"Or else what?" Their tails lashed back and forth excited.

"Or I'll..." Zarah picked up a steel beam, "I'll hit you with this big stick thingy!"

Sasoli picked up an identical beam.

"Not if I hit you first!"

17 found Ava hovering in mid-air, covering her face with her hands.

"What's wrong?" He inquired.

Ava dropped her hands to glare at him for a moment before pointing down.

17's eyes widened.

The kids were hitting each other mercilessly with steel beams, apparently trying to see who could hit harder, or who could kill the other first.

Sasoli managed to duck under the steel beam heading towards who head and swung hers toward Zarah's! He took the blow head on and he was sent flying into the rides support beams. The half finished ride collapsed on top of 17's only son while his daughter fell to the ground laughing, holding her stomach in pain. Zarah blasted through the rubble and tackled his sibling to the ground. Steel beams gave way as they wrestled over them, laughing uncontrollably.

"Disgraceful conduct!" Ava screamed as she dove forward.

They paused for a split second in fear as their eyes went skyward.

It only took Ava that split second to grab both their tails.

They giggled helplessly within her unbreakable grip, and only laughed harder when she shook them.

"You caught us!" Sasoli smiled, flashing her baby blues.

"You are really fast, Mom," Zarah gasped as his spiky hair fell into his eyes.

Ava's hard look softened before she sighed, blasting off, intent on going home, and forgetting the whole mess had ever happened.

17 laughed long and hard, getting it out of his system, before following. When he landed in front of the cave they called home he was bowled over by two hyper demi-saiyans.

"You are responsible, Android, so you can take care of them," was all Ava said before disappearing for the rest of the day.

It was a very long day. End Flashback.

Well, he learned a very valuable lesson about giving sugar to small saiyans. 17 shuddered remembering the way they wouldn't stop playing, talking, and, worst of all, trying to include them on their fun.

Ava pushed the sleepy demi-saiyans toward the table made of stone. 17 had made it himself, it added a rustic look to their home.

"Eat," Ava ordered the siblings before turning to 17, "You should eat as well, you will need your strength."

"So, it's a training day," 17 smirked as he sat with his offspring who grinned at him.

Training days were basically a massive-free-for-all where they all attacked him trying to get the upper hand. Ava would warm up the kids and then launch them at him before following. It usually got extremely vicious, really fast, it was loads of fun, and the kids liked it.

17 was in fact surprised by how much it sharpened his fighting ability. Sparring with five-year-olds was hard, they were completely unpredictable, and came up with interesting moves. Plus Ava was always there to push them a bit to motivate them to become stronger... like their father.

When she wasn't in the fray, Ava would study their moves, pointing out their flaws, and showing them how to improve them. She also had a very careful eye on the kids to make sure that they didn't start depending on certain moves, and they would train one on one until she broke them of it. When the kids finally wore down, Ava and 17 would go at it giving each other a thorough workout, and all the while the kids would cheer them on. There was nothing like bonding, saiyan style. Ava and the kids had gotten so much stronger with 17 training them, or more accurately, training each other that both the mother and children were at the threshold of super saiyan.

"No, it's not," Ava replied aloofly.

The siblings pouted, Ava had instilled a love of training that would complement the love of fighting later on in their lives.

"None of that," Ava scolded gently, "It's Sasoli's survival skills day."

"Why not Zarah survival skills day?" Zarah glared at his sister.

She didn't back down from him as she glared back.

"You went first on how to fly day."

"I should always go first!" Zarah stuck his nose in the air.

"Enough!" Ava growled softly as she bonked them both on the head.

"Ow," they pouted as they rubbed their heads.

"When does a saiyan admit pain?" Ava glared at them.

"Never!" They straightened up and started to eat.

"17, you can take Zarah on a shopping tree for all I care as long as you are not in this forest."

17 didn't laugh at Ava's misinterpitation of human culture as what she was saying made him frown.

"Why do we have to leave?"

"I am just going to teach Sasoli how to survive alone in the world," Ava growled at him.

"I understand that but why do we have to leave?" 17 nearly growled back, her habits were really starting to rub off on him.

"There are certain things a female needs to know to survive in the world that male relatives need not know about," Ava ground out.

"Are you referring to the birds and the bees?" 17 smiled amused, how quaint.

"Why would I talk about insects and flying mammals? You make no sense 17," Ava shook her head at him confused.

"Ok, fine," 17 chuckled as he leaned over, and gave her a quick peck on the cheek before she could move out of the way. "Zarah?"

17 turned to his son and nearly started laughing as his son looked at him with chipmunk cheeks.

"Father?" Zarah hastily swallowed his food.

"Where do you want to go today? Aunt 18's or Uncle Vegeta's house?"

"Can we go to Uncle Vegeta's? Maybe he'll let me spar with Trunks!" Zarah grinned as his sister pouted.

"Trunks is a good sparring partner," Ava nodded her approval, "Now Sasoli, you spend the day with me."

Sasoli brightened and stuck her tongue out at her brother who mirrored her action.

"If you want to keep those tongues, I suggest you put them away," Ava threatened absently.

17 smiled as both tongues retreated.

"That's a bit harsh, Ava," 17 ducked as Ava threw her bowl at him.

"Don't you dare undermine my authority!"

17 blinked in shock as she attacked him wildly. He managed to pin her arms to her sides, but she still thrashed trying to escape.

"Hey, Ava, what's wrong?" 17 asked really concerned with her odd behavior.

Without warning she went completely limp.

"Ava?" 17 turned her around in his arms so she could face him, her head lolled to the side limply.

The siblings stopped eating and looked up.

"Mommy?" Sasoli's eyes widened at the sight of her motionless mother.

"What happened?" Zarah demanded shakily.

17 wasn't paying attention to them as he pulled Ava closer to his chest and smoothed a hand over her wild hair. Panic started to claw it's way across his body as he didn't receive a single response from his wife as he hugged her in front of the children.

"Ava?" 17 pleaded hoarsely, "Answer me..."

He pulled her away from his chest as her head rolled lifelessly back

"Ava?!"

End of Chapter One


	3. Chapter Two Secrets

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Chapter Two

17 stared in disbelief at his limp mate. _How?!_ Was the only thought that echoed through his head.

Zarah and Sasoli gasped in surprise as their mother's head snapped forward to painfully connect to their father's.

Completely caught off-guard 17 fell to the ground clutching his face as he was pounced upon by his wife. He opened his eyes and saw the yellow boot stop a millimeter from crushing his throat.

17 blinked when the boot lightly rested on his skin before retreating. Ava hauled him to his feet before their gaping children.

"Remember, it is not always the strongest who wins but often the one who is more resourceful." Ava lectured the twins.

"Go do your warm-ups."

17 glared at Ava as the kids rushed outside to obey.

"You could have warned me!" 17's voice smoldered, "You scared the shit out of me!"

Ava blinked at him.

"The best way to teach is by example. If I had warned you the entire lesson would have been void."

"Don't EVER scare me like that again!" 17 yelled at her before yanking her into a forced embrace, clinging to her as if his life depended on it.

Ava smiled amused, her mate was so emotional sometimes. She rubbed his back soothingly.

"17, peace, I had to do it for Sasoli," Ava whispered softly.

"What do you mean?" 17 loosened his hold on her but didn't let her go.

"17, she needs to know how to survive and that will be one of the many things I teach her today."

"What else are you going to teach her today," 17 frowned not liking the idea of turning his Sasoli into a killing machine.

"17, I cannot tell you that," Ava grumbled as she pulled away from him to clean up the mess left from breakfast.

"And why not?"

"Ancient female secrets. If I tell you then I would have to kill you," she kissed his cheek, "Now leave and visit our prince."

"Your prince," 17 grumbled as he stepped out of the cave with Ava close behind.

"Zarah!" 17 called.

"Let's go visit your uncle."

Zarah grinned and for a split second he resembled 17 with an almost mirror like exactness.

"Let's go! Maybe Goten will be there as well!" Zarah's gaze became almost calculating and it was there 17 found Zarah's likeness to Ava, which only increased when he narrowed his eyes..

"Fight well," Ava smiled before turning to motion Sasoli to join her as she walked deeper into the woods.

"What are they going to do?" Zarah tilted his head to the side curiously.

"I can't say." 17 shook his head slightly, still a bit confused with the whole incident.

"Why not?" Zarah turned his blue gaze to 17.

"Because then I reckon I would have to kill ya," 17 slipped into a western drawl.

The two males grinned together before blasting toward Capsule Corp.

**

"What happens now?" Sasoli looked at her mother curiously.

"Tell me, Sasoli, what do you think of what happened this morning." Ava stopped walking.

"Well, you played a trick on Daddy."

"What happens if someone else tricks Daddy? But they're not playing?" Ava didn't face her daughter but gazed off into space.

"Daddy... he..." Sasoli frowned.

"He dies... " Black eyes met blue. "We must always be prepared if something should happen."

"No one can beat my Daddy," Sasoli pouted stubbornly.

"Is that so?" Ava waited for Sasoli to nod before continuing.

"If I had been an enemy, I would have killed him this morning."

"But..." Sasoli's eyes filled with tears.

"But?"

"You would never kill Daddy," she sniffed.

"No, but an enemy would," Ava touched her daughter's hair, comforting her.

"I, too, thought my father could never be defeated... Then an alien came and killed him. I should have listened to my Mother's teachings... Things might have turned out differently."

Ava's gaze turned inward for a moment before she shook it away, resolutely.

"Though, if I had then I wouldn't have you," she smiled gently at her offspring, "Will you learn what I have to teach, Sasoli?"

Sasoli nodded whole heartedly, blinking back tears.

"Yes, Mommy."

"None of that, this might save your life and your father's," Ava scolded gently.

"Really?" Sasoli brightened.

"Yes, really. We are saiyans, thus, we never go down without a fight."

**

17 landed softly with Zarah in tow.

"Trunks?" Zarah called hopefully as he took off into the compound.

17 smiled. The transformation the kids underwent every time they left their mother's presence amazed him. One moment they were as serious as adults and the next their blue eyes would widen in wonder as a butterfly flew by. Strange and wonderful. Those two words explained his whole relationship with Ava, only she could teach children how to dismember someone while still managing to preserve their innocence. It was as if they realized their mother's need for structure, only letting out their youthful exuberance through their fighting. In fact, the only time Ava had seen the kids act like kids was the day at the amusement park when they had been to hyper to care, and they had all seen how she had reacted to that!

"What did you do this time, Android?" Vegeta stood behind him with his arms crossed.

"I swear I don't even know why I bother with you." Vegeta growled softly as 17 turned to face him.

"Why do you always assume it's me? Maybe your sister made me mad this time," 17 frowned.

"Royalty can do no wrong," Vegeta smirked at 17's disgruntled expression, "Come, tell me where the women are."

"They're doing survival skills day or something," 17 followed Vegeta into his gravity room.

"Ah, I see," Vegeta nodded as he set the controls to three hundred times normal gravity.

"Hey!" 17 stumbled under the sudden increase of gravity before adjusting.

"Too much for you?" Vegeta asked amused.

"Please, as if you toy could defeat me," 17 took a step and then another, "What exactly is Ava teaching Sasoli?"

"Ancient female secrets," Vegeta replied as he started doing warm-ups of his own.

"Yes, I know that but what are they?" 17 grumbled, he could never get a straight answer from these saiyans.

"Oh, the usual things... How to pleasure a man, where a man is the most vulnerable, when a man-"

"WHAT?!" 17's mouth dropped open.

Vegeta chuckled at his reaction.

"Seriously, Android, I do not know. No male is to know, not even a royal one." Vegeta smirked as the android sagged in relief.

"Why?"

"Tradition," Vegeta shrugged, "Come I need a punching bag."

"Me, a punching bag, I don't think so," 17 grinned, well this should be interesting.

**

"What do you do when an enemy corners you?"

Ava quizzed Sasoli on her basic fighting experience. They were sitting on the ground facing each other.

"I attack him."

Ava lifted her eyebrow.

"I... don't attack him?"

"You check their power level. That is always the first thing you do, if you are stronger than they are then you attack and destroy them. However, if they are stronger, you pretend to be weak."

"Why?" Sasoli cocked her head to the side.

"If your enemy thinks you are weak than he will underestimate you. The more they underestimate you better the chance you have to take advantage of their mistake."

"So you trick them," Sasoli laughed.

"Right you trick them," Ava smiled, the innocence of her children never ceased to amaze her, "You understand."

"Yes but what happens if you make a mistake and they're really strong?" Blue eyes sparkled curiously.

"Well that depends on several things, what your captor is and what they want you for," Ava's gaze became thoughtful.

"I don't understand," Sasoli frowned.

"Well, if the enemy is out to kill you then you're dead but there have been some rare cases when we haven't been hunted. Once a group of scientists tried to take a family, they had wanted to do experiments to see what made our race so powerful."

"What happened?" Sasoli leaned forward.

"The females served up the scientists for dinner," Ava laughed softly when Sasoli scrunched up her face in disgust with a tell-tale ,"eww".

"You will be surprised what you will eat if you are hungry," Ava teased her daughter, "I once ate an alien twice the size of your father and uncle put together. He had fins for hands and was the color orange."

"Really?" Sasoli was part horrified and part fascinated.

"Really," Ava said with a straight face.

The two females' eyes met before bursting into laughter.

"Then there was the case of your uncle and me. Frieza wanted us to fight for him." Ava became serious again. "We escaped eventually."

"Ok, so what do I do if the menemy wants to do experiments on me and is stronger?" 

"If your captor is male, then half of your work is done for you. Males are notorious for believing that females are weaker and this makes them easier to defeat."

"How?"

"Well, as soon as you are defeated you pretend to be more hurt than you are, pretend to heal slowly. Always hide your true power make him think it was a fluke and cry if you can, tears have weird effects on males. Make them pity you become submissive and they'll make a mistake."

"Then you attack?"

"No, you wait and gather any information that might be useful. Then, if he is a fool, he will trust you, which is the biggest mistake of all , and his last. Though, Sasoli, you must always be especially careful around males."

"Why Mommy?"

"That's a talk for another day... If he touches you in any way that we have not touched you then.... You bit off your tongue and bleed to death first!" Ava reigned in her emotions. "Do you understand?"

Sasoli shook her head a bit alarmed at Ava's harsh tone.

Ava bit her lip.

"I... When your Uncle Vegeta and I were taken... I was imprisoned inside a wall... A group of soldiers took me out when I was of age and tried to touch me... I bit off his tongue as well as my own... They would have to take what they wanted from my dead body... The soldiers panicked and rushed me to the medical facility where the doctors managed to reattach my tongue with the help of a regeneration tank... Frieza found out and killed them before returning me to the wall. He had strict orders regarding me..."

Ava trailed off and looked into her daughter's stormy blue eyes before dropping her head. She had done her best to tell the story without the violence and explicitly of the act corrupting her child. Ava pushed the memories back down into the recesses of her mind, no one else knew what she had just confessed to her daughter not even her husband. Ava flinched in surprise, Sasoli had gotten up without her noticing to give her a hug.

Ava blinked back tears, motherhood had made her soft. "My sweet child..."

She pushed her daughter gently away. 

"Do you understand?"

"Kind of, not really," Sasoli gave her mother a sweet smile.

"You will. You are to tell no one of this."

"Why?"

"We must always keep secrets from the men, Sasoli, it is our way and has been our way since the beginning of time. Keeps them guessing."

Sasoli giggled as her mother tickled her.

"Now, if your captor is female than you have to outwit her. Listen to everything, find a weakness, and then pretend to have the same. Pretend to be her friend, use any means to escape."

"That's mean, Mommy."

"Taking you in the first place is mean to make you do what she wants is mean."

Sasoli nodded.

"The goal here is to survive and if you really feel that bad then don't kill her just make sure to warn her if you ever cross paths again she's dead. So what do you do if someone attacks you?"

"I check their power level and if their stronger then I pretend to be weak and scared. I listen and wait for the chance to escape."

"Very good, and in your case you flash your ki so we can follow, find you, and retrieve you."

"What if someone takes you Mommy?"

"Well," Ava blinked in surprise, "I do everything I told you but I also play mind games. Remember, only play mind games if you can do it, you are too young, you do not have enough experience to play. Then I would call your father and tell him to move his robotic butt to come get me."

"How?"

"Well, Sasoli, since I have feelings for your father, we have a mental connection, in a way we will always be together."

"Do I really have to become submissive?" Sasoli pouted.

"Yes but don't over do it or they'll become suspicious, appear reluctant."

"How do I play mind games?"

"It's all about making someone do something you want him or her to do without them realizing it. You can practice on your brother when he gets home."

"Yeah?" Sasoli brightened.

"Yes, I practiced with your uncle all the time." Ava smiled remembering, "You should have seen some of the things I was able to make him do."

"Like what?" Sasoli sat in front of her mother, breathless with anticipation.

"Well," Ava grinned, "I told him he wasn't man enough to steal the crown from the throne room. We had a big argument and he snuck into the throne room. We were only five or six at the time, anyway, he stole the crown and the whole kingdom was in an uproar. Every room was searched so I convinced him to plant it under Father's pillow. Sure enough, they found the crown the next morning!"

"But wouldn't Grandpa have found it when he went to sleep?"

"That's what I thought but..." Ava trailed off, trying to control her giggles, "the next morning, right in the middle of breakfast, our Mom noticed something shiny in Father's hair so she reached right over and plucked the crown from his hair!"

"They argued for hours! Mother couldn't understand how father had got the crown stuck in his hair!"

"He had hair like uncle's right?"

"Right!"

They howled with laughter, bonding in the truest sense of the word.

**

"Dikon sir, I believe we located two saiyans," the helmsman informed the mercenary.

Dikon sighed relieved, he really had no clues to the saiyans whereabouts save for this blue planet, hell, he only had a vague idea of what he was looking for. 

The mercenary rubbed his forehead with some frustration, this was the last time he took a challenge from an ugly dark green species that had no way of compensating him for his efforts. In fact, the only thing he had to gain from this at all was bragging rights. He was the most sought after mercenary in the universe and if it became known he had managed to kill a saiyan then he could double his already large fee.

"Are you sure?" Dikon forced himself to ask, though at this point he would settle for some unlucky inhabitant.

"Yes, the natives from this planet seem powerless and tailless. Our description clearly states that saiyans have tails. Both life forms have tails." The helmsman informed him stoically.

"Where are they located?" Dikon relaxed in his chair.

"In the wilderness just like King Fruin said."

"Ok, let's land and get this over with, these saiyans shouldn't be too much trouble," the elfin-eared man stood up.

**

"You understand?" Ava raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah!" Sasoli punched her fist into the air.

A rumbling filled the air causing both females to look up.

"What is--" Sasoli's eyes widened as her mother covered her mouth.

Ava put a finger to her mouth in a familiar gesture of silence before motioning Sasoli to get on her back.

Sasoli nodded. They had done this many times to sneak up on deer and other animals.

Sasoli rolled her small hands and feet into the back of her mother's shirt, wrapping her tail around Ava's waist.

Ava in turn wrapped her tail around her daughter to hold her in place. As one they ran stealthily through the trees to investigate.

End of Chapter Two

AN: Here you go guys and gals! Jeez, Ashton, a shot in the dark, eh? Well, you about stabbed me between the eyes! Thanks to everyone for reviewing! Remember I am only going to update on the weekends, school, sigh, well, review, huh, and let me know what you think! Thanks again to loyal readers! You know who you are! Bye!


	4. Chapter Three Struggle

****

AN: Hey Readers! I have had some complaints about the slowness of the chapters... I'm sorry! ::SOB!:: It's just College applications are due and every class has decided to have a project due on the last day of school! I will try to get these chapters out as soon as I can... but... don't hold your breathe... Here's a bonus chapter, be happy I had some time on my hands today...

Chapter Three

"The forest is quiet," The mercenary known as Dikon remarked as he picked his way across the forest.

He frowned as he was met with silence. He turned to find the men that had been following him were gone. He was alone on a foreign planet.

"It usually is when intruders enter," A female voice sounded behind him.

Dikon spun in surprise, there were no females in his ranks. What he found was the most beautiful humanoid life form he had ever seen... She had midnight black hair, flashing black eyes, a figure to kill for, and a set of breasts to die for. She also had a small tail around her waist.

"Where are my men?" Dikon's eyes narrowed as the female looked at her fingernails, they were full of blood.

"What men?" The female sighed

Dikon suppressed a shiver at the sound of her voice and frowned when he heard a small giggle. 

_That was a child..._ Dikon thought as he studied the female again, noticing how the tail was disproportionate to her body. _Is the child on her back?_

"What are you doing in my forest? And why did you bring soldiers?" The female snarled at him, tightening her fists.

Dikon relaxed slightly, so she wanted to fight him did she, she was a mere female what could she really do to him.

"I was hired to capture saiyans," Dikon said slyly, barely catching the slight widening of black eyes.

"What were you going to do when you caught one?" The female seemed to scan the forest around her for any possible attack though she didn't seem to move, interesting.

"That depends on my employer," Dikon eyed the up and down. He would keep her, he decided, she will make a nice pet.

"Will your employer send another after you fail?" She asked him, arrogantly.

"No, I was the only one willing o take this job," Dikon watched amused as the female slid into a defensive stance.

"Good, then no one will come looking for you when I kill you," the female smirked at him.

Yes, this female would belong to him, he would bet his life on it.

**

17 managed to duck beneath Vegeta's boot when he felt it. A sense of unease crept down his spine.

Vegeta regarded the android curiously as he stared of into space.

"Something the matter?" Vegeta mocked lightly.

"There's something wrong..." 17 trailed off.

Vegeta frowned and turned off the gravity.

17 didn't notice as he walked blindly toward the exit.

"Contact Ava, Android," Vegeta ordered him.

"Contact?" 17 frowned turning to Vegeta.

"You mean you haven't..." Vegeta sighed to himself as he shook his head.

"Very sloppy Ava," he growled.

17 shrugged before opening the door of the gravity room and stepping out. He took a deep breathe, he could almost smell the danger in the air.

Vegeta stepped out from behind him. 17 could almost feel the saiyans ki sensing ability start to probe the world around them.

17 nodded his head curtly in thanks, being an android forfeited him the particular ability. _Funny, the feeling's eased..._

"There is a fight going on," Vegeta's eyes were slightly out of focus, "Sixteen to... fifteen men. Thirteen," a dark smile, "Looks like Ava is taking care of them easily."

"Still thirteen men to one," 17 twisted his lips.

"Ten now, feels like she's picking them off, must be walking in line, fools."

"How strong are they?" 17 frowned.

"Nothing she cannot handle. Five now," Vegeta vaguely faced her direction.

"Wait! What about Sasoli?" 17 eye's widened.

"She's with Ava," Vegeta raised an eyebrow. "Where did you think she was?"

"Maybe safe in the cave," 17 fumed, these saiyans were really too much.

"That's a great idea, Android," the saiyan rolled his eyes, "One stray blast and she's gone. The safest place for Sasoli is on her mother's back. Ava will protect her. Only one now, I hope you're hungry," Vegeta smirked.

"Why?"

Vegeta said nothing though he sent the android an amused glance.

**

Dikon barely deflected a fist to his throat. _She's a vicious thing_, he thought as he bent away from a kick. Taking an opening, he punched her in the ribs, knocking her off balance for a moment before managing to twirl out of the way of his next punch.

His eyes widened as a high-pitched giggle drew his eyes to her back as she twisted. There WAS a child on her back! This lone female was beating the hell out of him with a child on her back! She had killed all his men!

His estimation went up, this saiyan female lived up to all the rumors about saiyans' fighting abilities.

He allowed himself a smug smile as the female landed a kick to his stomach. She would not win this fight, it didn't matter how powerful or skilled she was, Dikon had never lost a fight. He shuddered slightly as he allowed his unique power to flow along his skin.

He laughed as she punched him in the face and he heard her gasp.

_Yes, give it up saiyan, you are mine..._

**

"What is it?" 17 demanded as Vegeta's head snapped to the side, sensing something.

"Something is wrong..." Vegeta trailed off.

17 stiffened as fear started to seep into him.

"17!"

17 jumped as Ava's scream echoed in his mind.

"Ava," 17 mumbled making eye contact with Vegeta.

Vegeta nodded and they blasted away from Capsule Corp. racing to the forest.

**

Ava knew there was something wrong the minute he smiled. At first she had thought he was mocking her and so she had responded by punching him in the face, that's when she felt it...

The minute her skin touched his, there was a pulling... as if all her energy was being pulled through her fist and into his skin.

Disoriented she gasped and pulled away starring at him with astonishment.

"What's wrong?" He grinned at her.

He swung at her widely, she blocked him easily but was unprepared when he grabbed her arm.

She managed to yank her arm away from him though it cost her dearly. Little more than half of her energy was gone.

She looked at him with wide eyes.

"How cute!" He leered at her, before he attacked.

She back flipped out of the way trying to avoid his touch at all cost while he pursued her ruthlessly.

"What's wrong saiyan? I thought you were going to kill me," he laughed, his green eyes flashing with amusement.

"I haven't lost yet," Ava landed in a squat and swung her leg into his, knocking him off his feet.

He caught the boot headed to crush his skull.

"No, but then neither have I," he chuckled as he yanked her off her feet.

Ava barely managed to turn so she would land on her side and not on Sasoli. She felt a finger going up her leg and her energy being sucked away.

Ava planted her hands on the ground, arching her back, exposing her stomach, and kicked her enemy in the face.

She sprang to her feet, panting lightly. She shook herself lightly, the world was starting to spin. She had trouble focusing on her enemy.

_I can't lose... Sasoli... _She pulled her energy to her.

He punched her.

She stumbled away from him as she felt the energy she had scraped together disappear.

She stumbled and fell on her butt.

The bastard laughed at her as he went to stand over her.

Her expression darkened, he would pay for this insult, and dearly.

She punched him in the place where no man should be hit.

She grinned at his pained gasp and hit the ground in front of her.

He growled and lunged at her, grabbing her upper arm.

She panted heavily and was unable to escape his grasp. She beat on his arm weakly the last of her energy flowed out of her like a stream into a river. Her movements became sluggish as her breathing became even heavier.

_No, I can't lose..._ she thought desperately as she begun to feel the burden of Sasoli's weight.

Ava's head dropped as her body went limp and was only lifted once more by pure determination. She would spit in his eye before she would give in. She raised her eyes defiantly and was met with an almost adoring look, fear laced itself in her bones as he cupped her cheek gently.

"You are an amazing creature," he whispered softly, "You almost beat me, that's never happened before..."

He sighed as a beeping went off on his belt.

"Duty calls," he told her annoyed as he dragged both of them to their feet. "Dikon here."

He activated the device at his hip.

"Have you found the saiyans?" A gravelly voice emitted from the small device.

Ava committed the voice to memory.

"I have located the female. She had an offspring with her," Dikon informed briskly.

"Offspring? Male or female?"

"Let me check."

Sasoli screamed as she was ripped from her mother's back and examined by her enemy. She started crying, half-remembering her mother's lessons and half-scared to death seeing her mother unable to defend herself.

Ava seethed as she reached for more power and found none.

"Female," Dikon sneered at the girl who wept.

"Give her... back... to... me," Ava gritted through teeth.

She didn't have any strength. She was weak. She barely managed to lift her arm but lift it she did as she reached for Sasoli.

"This is a problem," the voice muttered, "How many saiyans are there in all?"

"Answer him, saiyan," the bastard shook her like a rag doll.

"More... then... y... you can... ever hope... to beat," she panted as she reached desperately for anything to help.

"This wasn't supposed to happen!" Dikon rolled his eyes. "Take the child as a hostage, leave the mother alive with directions to our location. We will set a trap there for them."

Ava reached deeper and scarped against something. Her eyes flashed a blue unnoticed by her captor.

"I think we should take the mother," he smiled as she sneered at him.

"I didn't ask you to think! Do your job! Out!"

"He orders me like he's paying me, fool," he shook his head, "Listen well, female, you will find your offspring on a planet next to planet Vegeta or I guess I should say where planet Vegeta used to be."

Ava curled her lip in disdain.

"Well, maybe that was beneath me. How about a kiss goodbye?" He yanked her closer, forcing his mouth on hers.

Ava's eyes widened in horror. She had no energy to defend herself this time. She pulled desperately away, he didn't relent, so she dug her teeth into his lower lip and drew blood.

He pulled away, apparently not shocked at the retaliation.

Blood dribbled down his chin.

"You want to bit, huh?" he grinned as he raked his sharp teeth against hers, shredding them like paper.

"Say goodbye to Mama, young one," he laughed as he released Ava letting her hit the ground.

He studied Sasoli as she hit his hand pathetically.

"You haven't been trained yet have you? Good, makes it easier to contain you."

_Footsteps_, Ava blinked back the darkness. With her last bit of energy she screamed for 17, internally, and then she thought no more.

**

Far away in space a pod crash lands on a planet. Bouncing against tall white buildings, jarring the inhabitant awake.

Bardock blearily opened his eyes as his pod rolled to a stop.

_Why can't I move?_ Was his first thought when he could do no more than survey his surroundings.

_This isn't Earth!_ He thought as the white building collapsed in front of him.

Bardock harrumphed softly as his scientific mind zoomed with possibilities. A meteor, misguided blast from Frieza, or the shockwave from planet Vegeta could have knocked him off course.

He groaned as he forced himself into a sitting position. _Where are you Kakarot?_

Painfully he pulled himself from the confines of the pod noticing pink beings scrambling towards him. They didn't seem hostile if their smiling faces were any indication.

_Did anyone else survive?_ Bardock wondered sadly.

His mind became fuzzy, went out of sync with the world around him.

**A female fighting tooth and nail against a male only to be struck down...**

Bardock clutched his head in agony.

**The male viciously ripping a child from the female's back. freeing the child of it's mothers tail...**

Bardock's eyes widened into a blind disbelief despite the pain. _Saiyan..._

**The female on the ground, dead or unconscious, her tail limp and seemingly broken. The girl crying, reaching for the mother, and struck unconscious by the unknown male. Her small tail hung lifelessly.**..

"No," Bardock whispered, his voice hoarse from years of disuse.

**"Quiet, I don't want to kill you yet. How will we attract the big ones if we kill the cub," the elf-eared man sneered at the limp child, "Too bad you aren't older, we could have had some fun."**

The girl's hair fell into her face as the man stuck her under his arm like a newspaper...

"No," Bardock's voice grew stronger.

**The man absently throws the child into an empty room where she lands with a sickeningly thump. He hums to himself as he punches the coordinates to his base.**

"NO!" Bardock screamed, committing the coordinates to memory.

_Wait for me... I'll come for you..._ Was Bardock's last thought before he fell unconscious and into a pink beings arms.

End Chapter Three

AN: And Bardock enters the scene! Come on tell me what you think!


	5. Chapter Four Awakening

AN: ::Holding hands over eyes as a knife comes out of nowhere slamming into the wall a millimeter from her skull. Peeks:: I am alive! Ashton can't you throw something else besides knifes? ::Hands on hips:: How do you expect me to finish the story if you kill me, hmmmm? Yes, you're right but Bardock doesn't make an appearance in this chapter! So nyah! ::Sticks tongue out::

Chapter Four

17 raced across the sky as if the devil was on his heels. His only thoughts circled around his wife, he had never EVER call his name with terror in her voice. He had thought that nothing could scare his irrepressible saiyan and he had thought he knew what it was to have his heart beat in terror... he was wrong on both counts... He put on more speed, he had to make it in time.

Vegeta followed the android while growling at himself. He should have went to Ava straight away instead of assuming she would win. Vegeta felt his heart harden as he realized that Sasoli's ki had disappeared and Ava's was about to as well. He felt his lip curl, he had not survived through Frieza's sick torments to lose Ava now!

The two males hit the ground running unable to accurately pinpoint Ava's exact location.

"Vegeta..." 17 trailed off as he located a body covered in blood, entrails spilled on the ground like giant worms big enough to pass for sausage links.

"A soldier, Toran by the looks of it. A hired hand," Vegeta informed him, "Come, we are on the right track."

Together they found fifteen dead aliens, all killed in efficient but different methods, all silent, probably a grisly lesson for Sasoli.

They ran, searching desperately for their fallen party. As one they stopped dead in their tracks... they had found her.

Struck dumb at the sight of her unmoving body they could nothing but stare at her. Dread filled the air as they approached her... blood matted her hair and her clothes her torn in several places... Horrible possibilities filled the men's minds as they slowly walked closer, reluctant to find out if she was alive or dead, and a sinking feeling it was the latter.

**

Ava stiffened as she became aware of her surroundings. _Footsteps..._ Her mind raced as adrenaline and her lost power started to once again pump through her system.

_Sasoli..._ Unbeknownst to her, her eyes became white as she growled, digging deeper into the well of her power. _No..._

"Give her back," She whispered, as she dug deeper hitting a power she had never felt before, "You will not have her!"

She curled into fetal position as the newly found power threatened to overwhelm her, destroy her body in it's wake as she struggled to harness the destructive force. She rose from the ground unknowingly, clutching her legs to her chest. Power crackled around her like lightening desperately searching for release. She pulled it closer trying to hold on to it.

To the shock of everyone present she hair flashed gold.

Flashback. "Hold her down!" Slap. "I said hold her down!" End flashback.

_Sasoli..._ Her eye widened as her eyes became a shade of blue.

"NO!" The word ripped it's way through her throat as she let the power explode around her. Trees fell before her might, leaves and debris were blown clear for miles around.

She straightened as she felt two male kis behind her, she was too far gone to recognize them.

"You will pay!" She seethed as she turned to face her enemy.

**

Warriors all over the planet stopped in mid-motion as they felt a power soar to unbelievable levels.

**

Goku ran out of his house searching blindly for the massive power. He put a finger to his head resolutely and disappeared.

**

17 and Vegeta watched in disbelief as she soared into super saiyan. They barely managed to stay on their feet as she took that final step and became what few would ever be. The saiyan and the android both noted the reason for this transformation: Sasoli was gone.

"You will pay!" She shook with rage as she glared death at them.

"Shit," Vegeta exclaimed softly as Ava began to approach them, "Android, distract her. I'll get her from behind." He whispered.

"What do you mean?" 17 had his eyes glued to his wife, she was even more beautiful as a super saiyan.

"I will kill both of you before I let you touch her," she snarled.

"She's blinded by rage, she does not know us," Vegeta edged away slowly.

"Ava, it's me, 17," 17 stepped forward gaining her full attention and wrath.

"You will return her or DIE!" She spat at him.

"Ava, calm down... we'll get her back..." 17 whispered softly.

"You will regret ever touching her!" Ava grabbed 17 by the neck and lifted him into the air.

"Ava..." 17 gasped as he desperately tried to get through to her.

"You die first!" She announced.

17's hands went to his throat trying to free himself to no avail.

He landed with a painful thud as she left go of him. He looked up gasping to see Vegeta, a super saiyan as well, holding Ava from behind as she screamed.

"NO!" She thrashed within Vegeta's grip and had it been anyone else she would have escaped.

"Ava..." 17 watched helplessly as Vegeta managed to grab hold of her hair to keep it in one spot.

Vegeta growled as he received an elbow in the ribs. He locked his arm around hers as the other searched for a handhold. His fingers felt hair and he tightened his hand pulling her head back, exposing her throat.

"No! Don't touch me! You will not have her!" Ava continued to scream lost in her own world of pain and memories.

"Don't just stand there Android! Put your hands on either side of her head," Vegeta tightened his hold as she movements became desperate.

"I will kill you all before I submit," she snarled.

17 complied quickly.

"Now send her a memory, something to shock her out of her rage!" Vegeta became alarmed as Ava became still.

"I will kill myself before I will let you touch me..." She trailed off as she smiled.

17 had never thought she could look so... evil.

He shook himself and quickly thought about what could shock her out of this... madness.

He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers opening a link he had never used before and sent her the one time he had shocked her senseless. As one they saw a moment in time.

Flashback. 17 slowly approached Ava from behind as she cooked their dinner. They had been together for barely more than a month and they both realized that they had made the right choice.

"You will have to do better than that if you want to scare me," she announced suddenly.

He ignored her as he hugged her from behind.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear.

She spun around so suddenly with her eyes wide.

"W-What?"

"I love you," 17 stepped closer nuzzling her neck.

"What's wrong?" 17 frowned as she stayed stiff and unresponsive.

Ava blinked at him.

"Saiyans do not admit feelings," she whispered as if reciting a lesson from a book.

"Well, then it's a good thing I'm not a saiyan," 17 just grinned at her before kissing her, loving the feel of her body against his own.

"Yes, it is a good thing," she returned his kiss wrapping her arms against his neck.

17 frowned slightly before remembering what she had said.

"Don't worry, I won't make you say it back."

She looked at him as the knowledge hit her, it had never occurred to her to return the endearment.

"Saiyans do not admit emotions but demonstrate them," she looked deeply into his eyes.

"Really," 17 let his lips curve into a smile before scooping her up into his arms.

She gasped softly in surprise.

"What are you doing?" Surprise sounded distinctly in her voice.

"Well, we are going to have some fun demonstrating."

She just stared at him with wide eyes. "I'm cooking."

"You can cook later." End Flashback.

17 pulled away a bit dazed as his wife went limp in her brother's arms, her hair returning to it's original color.

Vegeta sighed and pushed her to 17.

**

The warriors known as Tien and Chaotzu paused in mid-air as the power they had been following disappeared.

"What's going on?" Tien asked himself.

"Do you think everything is ok?" Chaotzu asked him.

"I am not sure but if there is something wrong we will get a signal from Goku. Come, let's train a bit harder just in case."

Chaotzu nodded in agreement as they turned around to return to their home.

**

"What's going on Krillin?" 18 demanded.

"I think Ava just became a super saiyan..." Krillin frowned as the power diminished suddenly, "Something's going on..."

18 frowned in consternation, what she would give to be able to sense her brother right now.

"Goku's there now," Krillin turned to face his wife, "We will find out what's going on soon enough."

"Are you so sure?"

Krillin nodded.

"Remember what Ava told us? She said we are family and so we must protect each other as family."

18 nodded, remembering the night she had mistaken the figure sitting on the sand as her brother. She had been surprised the saiyan held no grudge against her but only wanted to greet her as a sister.

"Why would becoming a super saiyan be a cause for alarm?"

"You haven't seen one turn for the first time have you? It's a very traumatic thing, 18, it took my death for Goku to do it and Vegeta practically knocked on death's door to achieve it. Gohan, I heard, turned into a super saiyan by the need to become stronger to defeat Cell. You should have seen him burst into super saiyan two, it was one of the most painful things for me to see."

"So for her to become a super saiyan..." 18 trailed off.

"Something terrible most have happened," Krillin finished grimly.

**

Yamcha paused in mid-flight and sighed.

"Why do I even bother? It's not like they need me."

He twisted his lips as he turned to fly back to his date, wondering how he was going to explain being late.

**

Piccolo frowned as he watched the android hug his mate closely.

"What's wrong Piccolo?" Dende's voice penetrated the air.

"Sasoli has been kidnapped... Ava has become a super saiyan," Piccolo responded gruffly.

"That's awful, why didn't you go to help them?" Dende asked curiously.

"Dende you know that a guardian cannot interfere with the business of the mortals."

"When has that ever stopped you before? Besides you're not a guardian anymore."

"True, but they would not want my help."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I have known the saiyans longer than you have and they will consider this a blood debt. They will only include those they consider family and no one else."

"But Piccolo, surely they could use some help--"

"They are a warrior race, Dende, they will consider it an insult if I went. This is a saiyan thing, leave it alone."

"How can you be so sure?" Dende's brow lowered over his eyes, their race's version of a frown.

"Because that's what I would think. Vegeta and myself are very much alike and I will show him respect by not interfering in his business."

"Piccolo, that doesn't make any sense."

"Not to you, you're a healer not a warrior. Sometimes the best way to help someone is by leaving them alone. They will take care of their own, Dende, after Majin Buu they should be able to handle anything."

"I will trust your judgment on this."

"Wise choice."

**

"Gohan? What's wrong?" Videl touched his arm concerned.

Gohan blinked as his eyes focused.

"Someone just powered up to super saiyan but I didn't recognize the power signature."

"Do you think it's another enemy, Gohan?"

"I'm not sure, the power seemed familiar but... distorted. My Dad's there now, I think I should go Videl, something is happening and I need to know what's going on." Gohan stepped away from her, "I'll be damned if I let anything happen to the baby."

Videl put her hands on her still flat stomach.

"I will be back as soon as I can," Gohan kissed her on the cheek before blasting off into the unknown.

"You better come back this time, Gohan, or I swear I'll kill you myself this time," she grumbled to herself as she watched him disappear into the distance.

**

"Mom?" Zarah paused in mid-strike as Trunks ducked.

"Trunks do you feel that?" Goten looked out in the distance trying to focus on the signal when it suddenly disappeared.

"Auntie?" Trunks shuddered slightly, he had barely recognized the signature.

"What's happening?" Zarah whispered to himself catching Goten and Trunks' attention.

"Hey, don't worry my dad is there, he won't anything happen to his sister," Trunks patted the five-year-old on the back, he remembered clearly what it felt like to feel a parent's ki dwindle to practically nothing.

"Yeah, my dad's there too," Goten smiled his family's trademark grin, "And it feels like Gohan is on his way there."

"Yeah so relax, Zarah your dad is probably there too." Trunks punched Zarah lightly on the shoulder.

"He is but I can't feel Sasoli," Zarah turned sad eyes to his friend and cousin, "she's gone."

Trunks and Goten paled looking at each other helplessly.

"Then we will get revenge," Trunks announced suddenly.

"Yeah, we can do it!" Goten nodded enthusiastically.

Zarah nodded his head in agreement, no one touched his sister besides him.

**

"Stay out of this Kakarot," Vegeta turned unsurprised to see Goku.

"What's going on? I felt a massive power increase," Goku studied the situation, the only thing out of the ordinary was 17 holding Ava.

"Is everything, ok?" Goku stepped forward reaching out to touch Ava's shoulder.

17 took a step back taking Ava with him. Vegeta had told him how she had briefly pursued Goku rather fiercely and when 17 had questioned her about it she had become defensive. Stating why shouldn't she have went after him? He was the only male saiyan besides her brother. Besides, she had said with a grin, he has a great body. 17 frowned at Goku, he didn't want the saiyan touching her if he could help it, he didn't care that Ava had been joking on the last part.

"Ava, tell us what happened?" 17 whispered in her ear as Goku awkwardly dropped his hand.

"I have failed in my mission," her voice came out softly, "she was taken."

Two of the males present nodded their heads grimly while the other stared at her completely shocked. As one they plotted a mission to bring Sasoli back... no matter the cost.

End of Chapter Four

AN: One more thing before I go, I just want to apologize for the late update I had a hellish week and weekend. I am planning to update again by Wednesday at the latest because I owe you awesome readers a chapter. Special thanks to DBZLover, Cat, Syaorons angel, Veggie-Chan, Ashton, Otepoti, and anyone else who has been reviewing constantly, you guys keep me going, thanks, oh and if I didn't mention some people I'm sorry, I am just too tired right now to look everyone up. Oh and please pray for my friend Jada, she's been going through a hard time and deserves our support. Thanks and look me up in three days or so.


	6. Chapter Five Goku?

****

Chapter Five

Taken? The thought echoed terribly in Vegeta's mind, as he understood how his father must have felt before him.

Taken? Goku's whole visage hardened visibly. He remembered how he had felt when Garlic Jr. had taken Gohan... but he had been able to fight and get him back the same day... how must it feel to be beaten in a matter that mattered most?

Taken... 17's brow lowered darkly as his mind started to calculate all different kinds of revenge.

"We'll get her back," Goku announced suddenly, "What did they look like?"

"Only one survived my onslaught," Ava pulled away from 17 woodenly, "He alone took her from me. He was as tall as Kakarot. If it hadn't been for his ears, which came to a point, I would have thought him human. Sharp teeth..."

Her whole being seemed limp where before had stood a proud unbreakable spirit. She spoke with her head angled down, eyes sightless as if blind. She was broken and wouldn't be whole until her child was in her arms.

"He was called Dikon but he was not the leader. He was employed by some unknown species."

Even her voice was devoid of life.

"So we do not know who are enemy is..." Vegeta frown deepened.

"She was taken as bait," her voice floated weakly as a leaf in the wind to the men's ears, "They want to lure us into a trap."

"Did they say where?" Goku asked hopefully.

"He said we would find her on a planet next to where our home planet used to be," she turned dead eyes to Goku.

"We had no enemies near our home planet..." Vegeta thought out loud, "A new enemy... Ava, how were you defeated?"

"He... I felt my energy drain away every time our skin touched. He only had to bide his time and I was defeated," her head lowered even more in shame.

"Vegeta, you remember where our home planet used to be, right?" Goku thumped Vegeta on the back.

"One does not forget where he comes from Kakarot," Vegeta gave him a disdainful look.

"Wait," 17 broke in, "You said 'lure us' into a trap, who is 'us'?"

"Any and all saiyans," Ava's lip curling could barely be seen beneath the dried blood, "sorry, mate, this is my fault..."

She crossed her arms over her chest, clenching her eyes shut tightly.

"Ava, this is not--"

Goku's eyes widened as his forward motion stopped.

"Vegeta?" Goku questioned as he spotted his fellow saiyan's hand clamped to the back of his shirt.

"This is not your place, Kakarot."

"But, Vegeta, she said all saiyans."

"No, Kakarot, it is not your place to comfort her," Vegeta glared lightly at the hapless saiyan before releasing him.

"Ava, you did your best," 17 whispered, not even hearing the saiyan's small dispute as he stood before his wife.

"My best was not good enough," she growled softly, a little life leaked into her voice.

"Your best has always been more and beyond enough. We will get her back and make the man who took her pay," 17's eyes glittered coldly.

The tone of his voice made Ava raise her head, her eyes sparked with hope.

"How?" Her lips barely moved, her voice the smallest thread of sound.

"That is not suitable for your ears," 17's eyes narrowed.

"Tell me," she demanded softly.

Goku and Vegeta listened with wide eyes as 17 launched into a ten minute account of what he would do physically to the man who dare take his child and lay a finger on his wife. His extensive knowledge of human body made the explanation extremely detailed and gruesome.

After five minutes of this Goku covered his own ears and Vegeta smiled. He hadn't known the android had, had it in him.

Ava closed her eyes relishing his every angry word. She sighed and hugged her mate.

"I knew I made the right choice," she whispered in his ear.

17 blinked at the sudden display of affection. _This must have really shaken her up..._ He thought still fuming.

"Is it safe?" Goku whispered to Vegeta.

Vegeta gave him a curt nod.

Goku lifted a hand hesitantly as if testing the air then he smiled and dropped his hands.

"What are we waiting for, let's go!" Goku cheered, "Sasoli will be back in n time!"

"Wait, Kakarot, that may not be such a great idea," Vegeta said thoughtfully.

"Why?"

"Think about it, Kakarot, we are against an unknown enemy that has already showed a willingness to use our families against us. It might be best if you stayed behind and protect the base instead of going on the rescue mission," Vegeta rolled his eyes.

"What base?" Goku frowned.

"You should move your family in Capsule Corp. as well as Gohan's, Ava, did they know how many of us there are?"

"No, I am not even sure what they want to do with us but we are all in danger. We have no way of knowing their resources. I was unable to recognize Dikon's species," Ava stepped away from 17.

"What about 18? Will she be in danger?" 17 frowned.

"She doesn't have saiyan blood but just to be cautious she should move to Capsule Corp. as well," Vegeta shrugged.

"Vegeta, contact Bulma and tell her to get a ship ready," Ava ordered, "Kakarot use instant transmission... Wait, Kakarot, can you instant transmission to Sasoli's location?"

"Give me a second," Goku put a finger to his forehead and concentrated.

"No, I can't," he shook his head, "She either unconscious or too far away."

"Fine, then go pack up your family and meet us at Capsule Corp." Vegeta said sharply.

"Gotcha!" Goku disappeared.

"17, go to your sister's and bring her family to Capsule Corp." Ava told him.

"Consider it done," 17 bowed slightly to his wife before blasting off.

"Come, Ava, you have to tell Zarah what's happened," Vegeta ordered softly.

"Yes, I know," Ava's eyes were sad for a moment before hardening, "let's go."

**

Bardock sat up clutching his head as he opened his eyes. [Ok, where am I?] He asked himself, automatically cataloguing facts, he was in a medical facility of some sort and his clothes were gone. He massaged his head and felt something that shouldn't have been there. The dip in his temple on the right side was filled with a metal.

"Goku," an airy voice exclaimed behind him.

Bardock blinked as a pink alien took him by the arm and led him from the room. He allowed himself to be led through an endless corridor of white hallways.

The alien cooed at him before opening a door that Bardock hadn't seen. The door was full of clean clothes as well as his own though admittedly clean they were also half there only his armor seemed repaired. The battle with Dodoria had proved almost fatal. He would have his revenge on the fat bastard and the pussy whiped Zarbon as well.

Bardock quickly dressed sensing that was what was wanted from the alien. He left behind all his odd uniform except for his red sash, he could not forget his crew, no matter what the circumstances.

The alien cooed making Bardock look at him and motioned the saiyan to yet another room.

This room was full of food.

Another alien greeted him with the exact same strange word. "Goku."

Bardock sat down at one of many tables and looked at the alien curiously.

"Goku?"

The alien just smiled.

"Yardrat."

Shrugging, Bardock dug into his food and found it surprisingly pleasing to his taste buds.

An hour later Bardock leaned back and patted his stomach. He hadn't been this full since... well, that depended on how long he had been out...

"Help," the alien stated suddenly while pointing at his head.

Bardock frowned as he realized the alien was pointing at the metal in his temple mostly hidden by his hair.

Then, it hit him, he wasn't being hit with a vision every time he turned around. The visions no longer could come of their own will and distract him during battle.

Bardock ran his fingers over the metal excited as his mind raced with possibilities when he felt a small groove in the metal. His mind instantly fuzzed.

**"What if I don't want to feed you?" The elf-eared alien asked a small girl with a tail.**

He shakily removed his fingers as he remembered the saiyan girl in the clutches of some random bounty hunter. How could he have forgotten? 

This piece of metal would save his life and cause his death, the surety of this knowledge let the cold feeling of dread settle in his bones.

_I have to rescue the girl_, Bardock let his gaze fall upon the alien.

"Where's my ship?"

The alien cooed at him and motioned for him to follow.

Bardock wrapped a piece of meat in his sash before stuffing it in his armor, a warrior must always be prepared.

The alien showed him directly to his ship which had been repaired and even modified a bit.

"Thank you," Bardock inclined his head in gratitude.

The pink one nodded.

Bardock grinned as he leaped into the pod, wondering at the generosity of this species.

"Goku," the alien waved in farewell.

"Yardrat," Bardock copied the gesture before shutting the pod and setting the coordinates for the saiyan oppressors.

_Wait I know these coordinates... this is right by planet Vegeta..._

"Splavish?" Bardock blinked in astonishment and rechecked the coordinates. "Are the Splavoids behind this? Impossible... they have no resources, no power, and no IQ whatsoever... They couldn't even pay someone to do this..."

He shook his head in consternation, there had to be more to this than met the eye.

"Maybe another species is inhabiting the planet now, wiped out the Splavoids, and have a grudge against us. The Splavoids would not dare go against the saiyan."

He hit the launch button while simultaneously disabling the sleeping gas mechanism. He would stay awake this trip, the next planet would not be so hospitable.

_I'm coming, girl, I'm coming..._

**

Dikon snapped awake.

He had decided to take a nap since the kid was out and the fight with the saiyan female had worn him out. Sure, he was blessed with the gift of draining other people's energy but that didn't mean he got to use it, he just sort of grounded the power into the planet, and it tired the hell out of him.

His green eyes darted around the room searching for what possibly could have awoken him.

A small hand touched his arm.

His eyes snapped down to meet a pair of big blue eyes. The little girl regarded him curiously and without fear.

_She could have killed me..._ Dikon stared at her stupidly, _She wasn't supposed to have recovered this quickly._

"I'm hungry," she announced suddenly.

Dikon smiled, he couldn't help it, she could have killed him in so many different ways... and all she wanted was something to eat.

"What if I don't want to feed you?" Dikon yawned, watching her every move for even the slightest hint of deceit.

Her blue eyes clouded while her little mouth formed a pout.

"I'm hungry," her voice trembled.

"All right, kid, settle down, I'll feed you," Dikon watched her eyes clear, "did your mother train you at all?"

"Train?" She blinked at him, "I am not supposed to talk to strangers..." she offered with a smile.

"Aren't I a stranger?" Dikon frowned at her.

"You're Dikon," she cocked her head to the side.

"Hn," Dikon shook his head, this child was completely... innocent and without guile.

"What's your name?"

The girl frowned at him.

"I am not supposed to say."

"Why? It's just a name," Dikon inquired curiously.

"I... don't know," she shrugged.

Dikon shrugged as well, it really didn't matter.

"Come, the gallery is this way," he got up from his chair and started ambling toward the gallery.

He would have to throw something together, he realized, the saiyan had killed all his men. _Great!_ Dikon heard the small patter of feet as the pint-sized saiyan followed him.

"Where are we going?" She followed him.

"A planet called Splavish."

"Why?"

"Someone wants revenge there."

"Why?"

"I don't know," he shrugged.

A brief silence.

"Why did you take me?"

"You're bait."

"Bait?" Sasoli frowned.

"To lure the other saiyans in one place."

"Why?"

"So we can kill them."

Dikon stopped as he realized what he was saying and exactly whom he was saying it to. She looked at him with betrayed eyes. Almost like she was disappointed in him.

"We won't kill you," he lifted a hand towards her.

_What am I saying?_ Dikon asked himself sharply, _of course we have to kill her._

"Really?"

Blue eyes met green.

"Really," Dikon sighed, sighed as her eyes lit up, this girl was getting to him.

Dikon turned sharply away from her and stomped the rest of the way. He could hear her practically skipping behind him. He had to stop this... attachment... He had never been around children, as a mercenary, it was never required. He knew what to do with an enemy but she... wasn't trying to escape, kill him, and/or refusing to eat, at least right now.

He slammed open the door to the kitchen and yanked open the cupboard grabbing random pieces of food. He turned again and threw the food on the table.

"Now you will eat if I have to shove this down your throat!" He yelled at her.

Sasoli looked at him curiously. His was nearly gasping for air.

"Thank you," she smiled at him.

Dikon slumped, what was he going to do with her.

Sasoli giggled, her mom hadn't told her this would be fun.

Flashback. "Remember, Sasoli, your age is deceiving. You must play the young innocent." Her mother smiled at her, "That shouldn't be too hard for you, ne?" End Flashback.

**

"What are you doing 17?" 18 frowned concerned as her usually carefree brother nearly shoved her aside as he landed.

"You have to move your family to Capsule Corp. now," 17 walked briskly past her.

"Maron!" 17 called.

"Uncle 17!" Maron came running from the house and jumped into the android's arms. "I missed you. Did you bring Sasoli?"

17 pulled her small body closer, wishing half-heartedly that she was his daughter.

"I missed you as well. Come, 18, I will take her to Capsule Corp." Without another word he blasted away.

"17!" 18 screamed after him, "Damn him... Krillin pack!"

"What's going on?" Krillin's voice sounded from inside the house.

"We're going to find out right now! Pack!"

**

"Dad! What's going on?" Gohan nearly collided with Goku in midair.

"No time, Gohan, I'll explain later. Take my hand we have to get Videl," Goku ordered.

Gohan took the offered hand and disappeared.

"Videl?" Was the only evidence left behind that he had been there.

End of Chapter Five

AN: Alright! You people got Bardock! Are you happy? I hope so... ::Listens for a tell-tale click of a gun loading:: I'll update by Sunday at the latest. ::Takes a nervous step away from the computer:: I'm going... 


	7. Chapter Six Meetings

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Chapter Six

Three demi-saiyans watched solemnly as the royal twins landed before them.

Ava and Vegeta exchanged a look only readable to each other: the young already know.

"Where's my dad?" Goten inquired softly.

"Retrieving your brother," Vegeta answered.

Ava only had eyes for her son.

"Is she... dead?" Zarah lowered his eyes, which were rapidly filling with tears.

"No..." Ava touched his hair briefly, "just taken."

"We will get her back," Zarah announced, tears retreating.

"We will, you will not," Ava frowned at him.

"But Mom--"

"I will not risk another child!" Ava bit her tongue, desperately trying to keep a tight hold on her emotions.

"I am sorry, Zarah..." Ava dropped to her knees and opened her arms.

Zarah ran into her welcoming arms.

"I can help. We can do this together," Zarah whispered pleadingly.

Ava's eyes glazed over.

"Probably but we will never know."

She brought her hand down sharply on her son's neck rendering him instantly unconscious. She didn't let him fall. She smoothed a wild spike away from his eyes before narrowing her eyes at the two boys in front of her.

Trunks winced, putting a hand to his neck in memory of Majin Buu.

Goten touched hand to his stomach as he took a step back.

They gasped when they felt Vegeta's hands on either side of their heads.

"Not..." Trunks gasped.

"Again..." Goten finished before their heads collided and they fell into darkness.

In silence Vegeta picked up the two boys and proceeded to enter his home, Ava followed.

They placed the three boys in a spare bedroom to sleep it off comfortably.

"Trunks?" Bulma came around the corner. "Vegeta have you seen Trunks?"

"He's... sleeping," he winced slightly.

"Sleeping?" She blinked, "What's going on Vegeta? The ship you asked for is almost ready but why do you want it?"

"Sasoli has been taken," Ava watched Bulma almost coldly as the human gasped, "We'll explain later."

"Sasoli..." Bulma exclaimed softly as her husband and his sibling marched resolutely down the hallway.

**

"I want to know what's going on, right now!" Chichi fumed.

She was in a living room at Capsule Corp. with her husband, her son, and Videl. Vegeta and Ava sat across from them with a pale looking Bulma.

"Chichi, calm down, we're waiting for 17 and his sister," Goku pleaded.

Chichi glared at him before turning her glare to the only female saiyan in existence. She hadn't forgotten how Ava had tried to steal her precious Goku and she wasn't going to help the bitch if she could help it! Then as if she wasn't bad enough her brother... oh, don't get her started on her brother! 

Chichi's eyes narrowed, why wasn't the saiyan acting as if their presence wasn't good enough? Ava's eyes seemed to be glazed over... like she wasn't really aware of her surroundings...

17 stepped into the room with a blond child in his arms.

"18 is on her way," he informed the group.

"Auntie!" The girl squealed, jumping into Ava's arms.

Surprised, she caught the child, silently relishing the feel and weight of her niece.

Chichi frowned, whispering to Gohan, "Isn't that Maron?"

"Yes," he whispered back.

"Maron," Ava acknowledged, tears touched her eyes but for a moment.

Chichi felt the ice around her heart melt, if she hadn't been watching the saiyan so closely then she would have missed the action. _Something is very wrong, here..._

"Maron, come let's go play with Bra," Bulma reached for the little girl and was surprised when Ava tightened her grasp suddenly.

17 put his hand on Ava's shoulder, silently letting her know that she was not alone.

Ava reluctantly let go of her niece and gave her a gentle push into Bulma's arms. Bulma took her and left.

Chichi watched the scene with wide eyes. _No... I have to be wrong..._

"17!" 18's voice followed her through the door with an out of breathe Krillin, "What did you do with Maron?"

"She's with Bra," he informed her coolly, he was not in the mood to deal with her.

"Now we can begin," spoke, his voice cut through the building argument. "You are here, Androids, because you are family. You are here, Kakarot and offspring, because, as saiyans, you too are at risk."

The silence in the room was broken when Bulma reentered.

"What did I miss?" She looked at the serious expressions around her.

"Nothing," Ava motioned for the human to sit, "Earlier today I was attacked by an unknown species and Sasoli was taken as bait."

Soft gasps filled the room. Chichi blinked back tears, she had been right. She knew what it was to have a child taken, her Gohan had been stolen twice. Once by Garlic Jr. and then by the green monster Piccolo. In a rare moment Chichi did something she was not known for: She forgave Ava, for everything. Chichi felt admiration seep into her, Ava looked as composed as a queen, though she knew better... Chichi knew Ava must feel as if her soul was being sliced by razor blades.

"As hostage for what?" Gohan inquired sharply, his face hard.

"To lure any and all saiyans into a trap," Vegeta toned in.

Videl put her hands on her stomach, deeply afraid. Goku put a hand on her shoulder.

"This is why we are here so it doesn't happen again," Goku whispered to her comforting his daughter by marriage.

"Where did they take her?" Krillin was frowning as well.

"We are not sure," Ava shook her head.

"So why are we here?" Chichi gestured helplessly.

"To set up base. Ava, 17, and I will go to where planet Vegeta used to reside in order to find Sasoli. Kakarot and the rest will stay behind and protect the base," Vegeta stated, ignoring the protests from the other fighters.

"But Vegeta..." Goku trailed off when the afore mentioned saiyan glared at him.

"He has a point," Gohan put in.

"If the worst should happen our families should be protected by the strongest available warriors! We need someone here! What happens if all of us go? We leave our women and offspring alone, unguarded, and easy pickings for our enemy!" Vegeta snarled, furious at having to explain himself at a time like this.

"Agreed, except I go with you," 18 stood up avoiding Krillin's gaze.

Vegeta looked at her hard in the eyes, as if studying her, before nodding.

"Then it is settled. Four will go and five return," Ava stood up, "until then all those present should stay close to base. We do not want another... incident," she left the room quietly with Bulma and Vegeta in tow.

"Was it me or did she seem really cold about the whole thing?" Videl asked out loud.

"It's just you," 18 frowned at her before leaving the room to find Maron.

Krillin trailed her, he wanted to have a few words with his wife, alone.

17 glared at the girl.

"You have no idea how much this has affected her," he said almost threateningly.

"Hey, cool it," Gohan stepped between them, "Videl, I'll explain saiyan behavior to you later, okay."

Goku and Chichi just watched, surprised at the sudden turn of events.

"What's his excuse? Doesn't look like a saiyan to me," Videl glared at the pale and slim man.

Goku and Chichi winced.

"My excuse?" 17 asked softly, "she is my wife and the child kidnapped is mine. Gohan maybe you should teach her about androids as well, having an ignorant wife is unbecoming to a warrior such as yourself."

Gohan bit back a smile at his wife's gasp of outrage.

"Videl! Calm Down this instant or you will upset the baby!" Chichi stepped forward, Videl sat down with a thump.

Chichi smiled as she turned to the angry android and said in an almost motherly fashion. "17, maybe you should go see if Bulma needs help with the ship or better yet, go check on Ava."

17 nodded and left the room.

"Whew! Thanks Chichi! I thought I was going to have to jump between those two!" Goku exclaimed.

Chichi rolled her eyes.

"Let's go get something to eat," she sighed, as Gohan and Videl started to argue, "it looks like we're going to be here for awhile."

**

"Why?" Krillin demanded.

"Why what?" 18 tossed over her shoulder.

"Why do you suddenly want to join this fight?"

18 stopped in the middle of the hallway.

"If Maron were kidnapped by aliens... would Ava go to rescue her?" 18 asked softly.

Krillin deflated in realization.

"She probably be first in line after your brother," Krillin smiled a small smile, at least for him.

"She accepted me as her sister and it's about time I started acting like one," 18 turned to Krillin, "come."

"I have a feeling they wouldn't let me," Krillin's smile widened slightly, "immediate family only."

"I will be careful," 18 kissed him.

"Yeah, right!" He laughed.

**

17 stormed down the hallway, the nerve of some people! _I don't know what Gohan sees in the twit!_

17 looked up and saw Ava leaning in the doorway to a room, her back to him. His step slowed as he heard giggling emanating from the room.

Ava had went to the space ship with Bulma to check it out. Bulma launched into an explanation about how everything worked, what buttons to push if this happened, etc. She had slipped away and found herself watching Bra and Maron play. She didn't notice 17 come up behind her.

"Ava?" 17 touched her arm, alarmed when she jumped, "what's wrong?"

She blinked at his sudden appearance.

"Answer me."

"They have blue eyes," she turned to look at him, "do you know why saiyans have the same coloring?"

17 shook his head, not really caring but knowing she needed to explain.

"In battle..." she swallowed when her voice cracked. "If we were to enter into battle with them, we would know instantly if they were struck down.. Their hair alone would act as a beacon as they fell... Warriors would keep one eye on the enemy and one eye on them and if they went down all hope would be lost, the battle over before it even began."

"You don't know that," 17 frowned, she was being too insistent.

"Why do armies wear uniforms then? Saiyans have the same coloring, the same spiky hair, and a tail. In the heat of battle all you see is the enemy's face..."

"What color were his eyes?" 17 asked her shrewdly.

"Green..."

"Then what are you worried about? She had blue..." 17 trailed off when she put her head down.

17 turned his gaze to the room with the small girls. They looked at him with wide blue eyes.

"That was another reason saiyans had the same coloring," Vegeta's voice came to them, "So a person would not know until the battle was over whether or not they had suffered a loss. In many ways the saiyan race was without family yet surrounded by it. Childless mothers found parentless children, a new family born if only for the moment. This is not so on earth, the combination of black hair and blue eyes is hard to find." 

Vegeta glanced in the room as well, "The wrong shade of blue but the right shape of face. The right shade of blue but the face too round," Vegeta studied his sister who refused to look at him.

"Vegeta, the ship is ready. All you have to do is put in the coordinates and of we go!" Bulma smiled as she came upon them.

"You are not going," Vegeta narrowed his eyes.

"Oh really! I'll have you know--"

"Bulma! This is not the time!" Vegeta darted his eyes to Ava and after a moments hesitation nodded.

"Well, if you think you're going to leave me than think again, mister! I'll have you know--" Bulma fell into Vegeta's arms unconscious.

Ava lowered her hand.

"We should leave now, go retrieve 18," Ava glanced dismissively at 17.

"We are not finished, Ava," 17 glared before turning on his heel.

The siblings glanced at each other wincing.

"She's going to kill you," Ava smiled looking at the blue head of hair.

Vegeta snorted.

"She will have to wait until we return. He only needs to wait until you're alone." Vegeta put Bulma over his shoulder.

"I know," she sighed, "I want 17 to make the kill."

Vegeta looked at her sharply.

"Are you sure?"

"It is his right," she nodded.

"Your lips are almost healed," Vegeta snagged her chin, turning her face to the light, "and now that I look I realize this kind of wound didn't come from a punch."

Ava glared at her brother, he had always been too observant, she jerked her face away from his hand.

"What else happened before we got there?"

"Think what you want," she turned away from him, "I'll be on the ship."

18 stepped into the hallway and watched Ava stomp away. She had been watching Maron when the whole thing started and had decided to listen instead of join.

"What does it look like?" She asked, concerned.

Vegeta frowned at her before shaking his head slightly.

"Like teeth marks."

18 frowned at the implications.

"But how would she get teeth marks on her lips..."

"Unless..." Vegeta twisted his lips.

"He tried to..." 18 trailed off, not really wanting to finish the sentence.

"He tried to what?" 17's gaze narrowed as he looked from the saiyan to his sister. "Who are you talking about?"

"I need to put Bulma down then I will go to the ship and I suggest you two be there when I get there. We need to leave before the unconscious become conscious." Vegeta remarked sarcastically.

The androids followed the saiyan down the hall where he placed Bulma in a spare bedroom and then to where a waiting space ship lay. They boarded and shut the door before settling into various chairs. Vegeta took the captain's chair while 17 sat between Ava and 18. Vegeta punched in the coordinates.

"Launch activated," the computer announced. "10...9...8..."

"Well, this should be fun," 18 mumbled to herself.

"7...6...5..."

17 glared at her.

"Shut up, 18!"

"4...3..."

Ava's eyes glazed over. She was in a ship but she was not restrained. Deep breathe, another. _Calm down, I'm free...I am not a prisoner..._

"2..."

Ava clenched her tail tighter around her waist.

"1... Blast off," the ship launched into space briefly squashing the inhabitants to their seats. "The trip shall commence in five days."

"Now what do we do?" 18 lifted an eyebrow.

"We wait," was Vegeta's reply.

**

If only allowed one word to describe Bardock's flight it would be boring.

He still had a day or two until he reached the planet Splavish but until then he could do nothing but sit. So he did what any bored scientist does when enclosed in a small space that contains technology. He took it apart.

Bardock had managed to wedge open the circuit board with a sliver of broken armor on the floor and from there he started to explore. He knew from experience how far he could go without damaging his ship's flight plan. Third class warriors didn't always get the benefits of the upper class, which meant hand-me-down faulty space pods.

This was always somewhat of a guilty pleasure for Bardock since the saiyans valued fighting ability more than technology but still...

"There!" He smiled, he had managed to make a rather crude communicator. "Now to scan for news of saiyans."

Bardock hacked his way into the universe's version of the Internet. He sent out feelers for any and all news of saiyans.

When nothing happened Bardock hacked his way into an alien planet's database. Luckily, for him, the planet was well informed. 

"Prince Vegeta escaped the destruction of our planet!" Bardock exclaimed surprised, he had met the prince only briefly to teach him the moon trick.

"With Radditz!" Bardock smiled amazed, both his sons had survived!

Bardock frowned suddenly. There was no mention of a female survivor, but how could that be he saw one in his vision.

Now a bit confused he glanced at the current date.

"That's impossible!" Bardock exclaimed, "According to this I would have been out for over thirty years!"

He looked at the screen deeply and completely shocked. What had gone on while he had slept?

Bardock leaned forward again. He would find out right now what the hell was going on! He started to read records with an expression of growing horror...

End of Chapter Six

AN: Alright people I am out and will not be able to update until next weekend. Sorry! Oh and thank you, Petta, it's nice to know that people will go to bat for you! If I am able then I will update sooner but till then... I'll see ya!


	8. Chapter Seven Arguments

****

Chapter Seven

18 drummed her fingers on the computer council idly. A person would think traveling in space would be fun or, at the very least, interesting, wouldn't she? Well, if you considered a never-ending blackness of space with a smattering of stars interesting, well then this would be paradise.

The ship consisted of one big room for the main control panel with only two bedrooms, a small kitchen, and bathroom.

She sighed, what she wouldn't give to be at Kame House with Krillin right now... She looked up to see her brother-in-law lean against the wall next to her, meditating. Bored out of her mind 18 turned to the saiyan.

"Hey, Vegeta," 18 turned toward the saiyan, "how can you stand this?"

Vegeta opened his eyes.

"Stand what?"

"This monotony," 18 lifted a hand showing the absolute stillness of the ship.

The saiyan just smirked at her and turned his eyes to the closed door of a bedroom.

"WHAT do you WANT from ME?!" Ava's voice came through the door.

18 shook her head, oh yes, let's not forget the happy couple. She could see how they could be a source of amusement. Her brother and been trailing Ava like a lost puppy who had just found his master again for two days now while Ava had avoided him at all costs. She obviously didn't want to talk to him, men were so dense.

The door slammed opened as the irate saiyan stomped away from her husband.

18 smiled before turning slightly away from the couple, _it looks like he's tired of playing cat and mouse with her. This should be interesting._

"I want you to talk to me," 17 stalked after her.

"There is nothing to talk about!" Ava turned her back on him.

18 noticed Vegeta turn away from the couple as well to stare into space.

"You need to talk about what happened! You need to tell me how teeth marks got on your lips!" 17 seethed as he spun Ava around to face him.

"I don't have to do anything..." She jerked away from him.

"Damn it, Ava, I am not the one who married a machine!"

18 saw Vegeta's brows lower at that remark.

"You're right, you didn't mate yourself to a machine, I did..." Ava's voice was deadly soft.

18 felt her brow lower into a frown. _That's not very nice..._ From the corner of her eye she could see Ava take a step closer to her brother.

"You mated yourself to a warrior... So go drip oil somewhere else!" Ava stomped back into the room and slammed the door.

Her brother sputtered before yelling, "Suffer defeat, then!"

Then he too, stomped away into the other room and slammed the door.

18 and Vegeta exchanged a glance before erupting into a fit of laughter.

"Honestly, you would think this type of thing would draw them together," 18 remarked after the laughter died down.

Vegeta shrugged.

"Females are incomprehensible to males no matter what the species or type."

"I guess that's true," a smile turned 18's lips when a blinking light caught her attention,"what's that light for?"

Vegeta joined her at the council and pushed a corresponding button. He read some coordinates and then pushed another button.

"We are getting a transmission from Earth." Vegeta frowned as a fifteen foot screen slid from the wall before turning on and revealed a very pissed off Bulma.

"Vegeta, you bastard! How could you leave me behind!" Bulma screamed.

"What's done is done," Vegeta glared at the image of his mate.

"Done! I am part of this family too! I have a right to be there!" She glared back.

"What exactly would you have done here, Bulma, we're either bored out of our minds or at each other's throats."

18 lifted a brow, he had been bored as well, interesting.

Bulma pouted.

"I wanted... to talk to Ava... She needs another woman's gentle touch."

Vegeta snorted.

"We have 'another woman' here. Besides, Ava isn't willing to talk to her own mate much less us. You are best where you are, who else can watch my heirs?"

"You egotistical monkey!"

"Screeching harridan!"

They glared at each other to the amazement of 18 who could only blink at them.

"I will talk to you when we return, Bulma, do not contact us again unless you are being attacked."

"Bastard!" Bulma hissed before she cut off the transmission.

Vegeta growled at the screen as it retreated.

"What?!" The saiyan snapped at her when he noticed her starring.

"Vegeta... are you and Bulma having problems?" 18 frowned at him.

"Not at the moment," Vegeta shrugged.

"Then why did you scream at each other like that?" 18 tilted her head.

"Like what?" Vegeta frowned, becoming annoyed.

"Like you're having problems," 18 snapped.

Vegeta just looked at her for a moment as if he didn't understand what she was talking about.

"We always fight, Android, it is our way of communicating."

"Communicating? You saiyans can't do anything normal, can you?" 18's brow smoothed.

Vegeta snorted.

"Define normal. I have a mate with natural blue hair and I am on a rescue mission for my niece who is half-android."

"I see your point," 18 looked at the council, "the light is blinking again."

"Damn it, Bulma," Vegeta pushed the button again and paused, "This is not... The signal is coming from a ship."

"Do you think we should talk to them?" 18 asked.

Vegeta frowned as he considered their options.

"Vegeta, do we answer them or not?" 18 frowned at him, she did not like to be ignored.

The saiyan looked up at her with an almost calculating look before smirking.

18 watched him wearily.

"You will answer," Vegeta smirked.

"What? Why can't you?" 18 lifted a blond brow.

"The universe as a whole thinks I'm dead. I cannot let anybody find out otherwise."

"Why?"

"The saiyan race made a lot of enemies as a whole and separately. If they knew there were still saiyans lurking about then Sasoli's kidnapping would be but one of many incidents of many different species trying to get revenge. What they will not expect is a human," Vegeta seemed very pleased with himself.

18 wasn't amused.

"Well, aren't you sure of yourself. How am I supposed to speak to them? I doubt a random alien will know our language."

"All you have to do is say standard language 10."

"But I can't exactly say I am from Earth now can I?"

"Just tell them you're Toran, Torak is a commuter planet with literally thousands of species and only a few commonly known. They will have no way to check if you are lying."

"What am I supposed to say?" 18 was now alarmed, the saiyan was leaving her by herself to talk to aliens.

"Just inquire about any and all information about saiyans. Do not reveal any information about Kakarot and myself or our families. You are a curious scientist," Vegeta opened the door to the bedroom where her brother had disappeared into, "Remember saiyans are supposed to be extinct."

The door shut and 18 was left alone with a blinking light.

**

Sasoli screamed.

Dikon dropped a piece off planet produce and ran into the room he had given the little girl. His heart pounded, _are we being attacked?_

"What's wrong?" He opened the door and scanned the room for any sign of danger.

"I had a bad dream," she mumbled into her hands.

Dikon nearly went limp with relief. She had scared ten years off his life.

"What about?"

"I dreamed my mommy died," her face remained hidden though her vice had a noticeable tremor.

Dikon winced. _What am I supposed to say?_

"I... um.. I'm sure she's fine... and your daddy, too. In fact, as a saiyan you're daddy is probably on his way to pick you up," Dikon grimaced, _where we will trap him as well as any other saiyan and kill him._

"Saiyan?" Sasoli lifted her head to blink at him.

"Yes, didn't you know your species, honey, that's the reason you have a tail." Dikon explained gently

"My daddy doesn't have a tail," she frowned as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"He doesn't?" Dikon's eyebrows shot up in surprise and lowered in suspicion.

She looked up at him with wide eyes as she became fully awake.

"But... my uncle doesn't have one either," she seemed to scramble for an explanation, "Mommy said his was cut off in battle." 

The little saiyan smiled at him as if eager to please but the damage had been done.

Dikon studied the saiyan in front of him suspiciously. He had never directly tried to pump her for information, she had even refused to give her name, and yet she had asked him question after question regarding everything from his ship to his personal life. One thing was sure, he had caught her off guard, she had revealed something, and now she was trying to cover her mistake. Had she played him a fool?

A thought occurred to Dikon, which might explain why her father might not have a tail but how to confirm it...

"How do you know your uncle's a saiyan? He could just be pretending," Dikon inserted just the right amount of doubt in his voice to prick at her family pride.

"I know because he is the prince of all saiyans..." She trailed off and covered her mouth with her hands.

_The prince!_ Dikon watched the girl start to weep with unseeing eyes. _The Dark Prince! He lives? My God...! I kidnapped the Dark Prince's niece!_

The sound of her tears finally penetrated the thick wall of shock and he felt his chest tighten. _No wonder she didn't say anything... She didn't want to endanger her family... The Dark Prince....I could not have dug a deeper hole..._

"What's wrong?" He turned his attention to the desolate saiyan.

"Mommy's going to be mad at me," she sniffled.

"I won't tell if you won't," Dikon sighed resigned, he had formed attachments to the little brat, Dark Prince be damned.

"Promise?" She looked up with watery eyes.

"Promise," he smiled, he would keep her as well. No use in letting the mother be heart broken. Besides the girl was everything he wanted in a daughter, if she had green eyes instead of blue; she could have been his daughter. His eyes in her mother's face... a happy little family... Dark Prince or not he would have the female saiyan... Only a few hours before we land on Splavish...

**

Bardock shook with rage and indignation. The once proud saiyan race had been reduced to slavery! Then killed off like dogs!!

_Prince Vegeta..._ Bardock shook his head regretfully, _I have failed you..._

He should have known better than to allow himself to sleep in such a volatile situation. If he had been awake he would have been able to fix his ship... Go on a rescue mission for the Prince like he was doing for the girl... He could have done something!

_My Prince..._ Bardock raged suddenly, _Damn you Nappa! You fucking super elite coward! Why didn't you save him from that fate!_

There was no love loss between Bardock and Nappa. They had despised each other with a passion for years. Bardock hated taking orders from such a mentally incompetent saiyan whom was allowed regular access to their Prince. Nappa hated Bardock for being smart enough to get the attention of royalty and invading his relationship with the Prince. The only things they had in common was their species and loyalty to the throne.

Bardock snarled to himself as he barely refrained from smashing the council.

According to the records the Prince became Frieza's favorite killer at the age of ten. He would frequently send the Prince on suicide missions, and for fun, the lizard would send him alone. Bardock could only imagine what had happened to the boy in the privacy of Frieza's many compounds.

Prince Vegeta had earned a reputation for himself. All knew and feared his arrival on their planet, for his arrival signaled their doom. He was called the Dark Prince, Frieza's unwilling lapdog. The Dark Prince was said to be completely without emotion and didn't know the meaning of the word mercy, a monster of the worst kind... and he was dead....

"Damn you, Frieza," he growled, "you ruined him!"

Bardock remembered the Prince and knew he would have grown into a great saiyan.

Flashback. Bardock walked into the Prince's common room. By order of the king he was to teach the Prince his energy moon.

"Your highness," Bardock bowed when the Prince stepped forward to greet him. The boy had very distinct features that would only become more defined with time. The trademark flame of hair gave away his royal heritage as did the proud way he held himself.

"Who are you?" The boy studied him in turn.

"I am Bardock."

"The third class with a first class trick," the Prince nodded, "I have heard of you, Bardock, the third class saiyan with brains."

Bardock flushed and noticed the Prince to take note of his embarrassment.

"I am no smarter than any other saiyan," he ducked his head.

"Humble as well," the Prince smirked at him as his tail curled behind him, "You are nothing like Nappa said."

Bardock's head shot up and for the first time he met his Prince's eyes, they were surprisingly intelligent for one so small.

"What did he say?"

"He said you were a stuck up third class idiot who knows nothing and needs to be taught his place."

Bardock stiffened, if the Prince decided to kill him then he could do nothing but accept his fate.

The Prince's eyes danced mischievously.

"Do not worry, Bardock, I shall show Nappa his place as a bodyguard and not advisor."

"A wise decision, your highness," Bardock touched his fist to his chest while bowing.

"Enough, now tell me how you do this energy moon? In fact, how did you even think of it?"

Bardock smiled as the curiosity shone brightly in the boy's eyes.

"You will be surprised what you can come up with when you are bored." End Flashback.

"My Prince..." Bardock watched the information scroll on his makeshift screen, "You died trying to avenge our race while I slept... Where the hell was my son?"

Bardock had found no trace of the saiyan named Kakarot who, according to his vision, supposedly fought Frieza. There was nothing to read about his youngest son.

Radditz and Nappa were dead, confirmed by a report from the Prince... There was no news of any other saiyan survivors.

Bardock cupped his face with his hands. According to this he was the only saiyan in the universe... but that had to be WRONG! Then again, it could be right he could be chasing a dream for all he knew...

Bardock shook his head trying to rid himself of such thoughts. The girl was real, she had to be... and if she wasn't then he would travel to Earth afterwards as planned. Besides, the saiyans could have gone underground to avoid troublesome races.

He checked the timer on his ship. He had twenty-four hours before he landed.

End of Chapter Seven

AN: Ok, here it is! I have to go back to school! ::Starts to weep:: I don't want to go back! ::Sighs:: No worries I will continue to write and update on Sunday! Oh and thank you for all the lovely reviews!


	9. Chapter Eight Hope

****

Chapter Eight

18 pushed the button and immediately she was confronted with an alien. He was about her height from what she could tell though his bright red hair and eyes were obviously odd. His skin seemed to be a mottled gray as well as moist.

"Standard language 10."

The male nodded with apparent understanding though still had an air of suspiciousness around him.

"I do not recognize your ship female," his voice almost seemed to ooze from his vocal cords.

"I am from Torak," 18 tried to keep from gawking at the alien's grotesqueness.

"I see, what are you doing so far from your planet?"

"Looking for saiyans," 18 tilted her head curiously as the alien paled in hue.

"S-S-Saiyans?!" The alien stammered with a touch of fear and loads of incredibility.

18 nodded, _what's the big deal? _She thought to herself. _It's not like they're a dangerous species_.

"Why in the great galaxy would you go looking for saiyan? You haven't heard of more survivors have you?" He almost seemed to beg her.

"Not exactly, I heard of a mercenary named Dikon was looking for these creatures," 18 answered blandly.

"Really, I heard he accepted a challenge from an inferior race, but then again, that would be a challenge wouldn't it? After all, they are extinct," the red eyes narrowed suddenly, "Why are you so interested?"

"You could say I am a scientist, of sorts," 18 replied smoothly, going over her own personal mental files of the saiyans.

"The greatest fighting race ever recorded.... The species has always fascinated me and to get my hands on a live specimen..." 18 trailed off fully aware she was giving the impression that this was her purpose in life, and frankly, she was pleased with her newfound acting ability.

"I see," the male eyed her, "you are one of the more attractive humanoids, exotic really. What would you say to a meal together?"

"I'm taken," 18 barely restrained herself from gagging at the thought.

"The beautiful ones always are..." he sighed wearily, "Would you keep me in mind if it doesn't work out?"

He looked at her hopefully.

"Sure, you'll be the first on my list," 18 nodded, _there is no way on earth..._

"Well, in that case I'll put my ear to the wind for information. Dikon in never hard to find, in his line of work he can't afford to be, so I should have exact coordinates to his whereabouts in an hour."

18 blinked at the alien completely astonished.

"Why would you do this for me?"

The male smiled warmly.

"Not many races are kind to mine and it would be my pleasure to be of service of a possible life partner," he winked," plus, it would be worth the trouble just to see you smile."

18 shook her head slightly, humbled completely before this horrible looking alien.

"Then it is a deal I will smile when you return."

He nodded.

"Will you continue in this direction and speed?"

"Yes."

"Then you'll hear from me for sure."

"Thank you," 18 tilted her head forward in a gesture of deep respect.

"It's my pleasure," he made a gesture with his hand that was strangely elegant.

The screen went blank. They had three days before they could even begin their search for Sasoli.

**

Dikon sat in the captain's chair with the small saiyan beside him. Her presence felt right somehow. He could see her from the corner of his eye kicking her feet idly. He was more cautious with his words, true, though he could nothing about his protective instincts though... truthfully, considering who her family was, it didn't look like she needed his protection.

__

The Dark Prince, Dikon shook his head, _as if I didn't have enough problems_.

Prince Vegeta was the only other person who was able to compete with him on a planetary destruction basis, in fact, the only difference between them was Dikon got paid. Dikon had in fact wanted to meet this Prince of Mayhem but they had never crossed paths and now he had the Prince's niece.

"Landing sequence activated," the computer announced.

"Are we going to see the Splavoids now?" Her eyes sparkled curiously.

"Yes, now brace yourself, Blue," Dikon replied.

He had taken to calling her Blue since, for one she wouldn't tell him her real name, and two her eyes were her most prominent feature. Besides he had to call her something.

The ship dropped suddenly like a rock from the top of a tall building. The ship came to an abrupt halt and lowered gently onto the ground.

Dikon sighed as he freed himself from his restraints and then released Blue.

"The King should be greeting us, a royal welcome," Dikon took Blue's offered hand.

"Really," she smiled as they walked to the main entrance.

The doorway opened slowly to reveal dark green aliens no taller than Sasoli. As one they gasped in horror at the sight of her before them.

Dikon frowned at them, _what the hell is their problem? _His hand tightened on Blue's as she buried her face in his leg.

The king stepped forward while eyeing Blue wearily.

"What is the meaning of this Dikon?" He demanded.

"The meaning of what? You told me to bring her and I did." Dikon frowned.

"Why is she not restrained? She is a vicious animal! You should have put her on a lease, at the very least!" The King raged.

"She's harmless!" Dikon defended both her and his judgment.

"No saiyan is harmless," the King stepped forward and yanked Blue towards him.

"Are you helpless?" He shook her harshly.

"Dikon!" Her voice was frightened.

Dikon watched in shock as the little saiyan looked to him to save her.

"Look at me! Saiyan scum!" The King grabbed her chin and forced her to look into her terrible pink eyes.

He gasped and released her.

Blue didn't hesitate as she took the opportunity to run behind Dikon for protection.

"What is wrong, sire?" A random guard questioned King Fruin.

"She is a half-breed," the King turned accusing eyes to Dikon, "and they will not come for a half-breed mongrel!"

"Half-breed? That is not possible..." Dikon argued, feeling Blue shake with obvious fear.

"Saiyans do not have blue eyes, idiot," King Fruin snapped.

"I saw the mother and the father is definitely a saiyan since his brother is..." Dikon fumed a bit, "Maybe it is just a genetic throwback."

"Impossible! The only way that is remotely conceivable is if..." The King blinked, "No, we must execute her immediately. The legend must not come true."

"What legend?" Dikon glared, warning the guards to keep their distance as they tried to close in.

"Super saiyan, kill her! Dikon, I order you!"

"No," Dikon picked up Blue and was pleased when she curled her tail around his arm.

"What?!" The King roared.

"No, she is not dangerous and I will not kill her for the sake of some stupid legend. If you are that worried I will keep her secured in my quarters and I will take care of her. If I find so much as one hair on her head damaged when she is not with me then I will wipe out this entire measly planet," Dikon eyed the King coldly.

The King turned a lighter shade of green.

"The saiyans will come for her," Dikon announced with absolute conviction, "I almost had to kill the mother, who is full blooded, to take this cub. I am going to my quarters and I expect enough food for three people to be brought to my door in ten minutes."

Dikon turned on his heel leaving King Fruin and his subjects agape with shock.

**

17 looked up at the sound of the door as it opened and dropped his eyes sullenly when he saw his brother-in-law.

"What's wrong, Android, need your oil changed?" Amusement colored the saiyan's voice.

17 glared at him.

"Very funny, in fact so funny I forgot to laugh."

"I am not surprised, you left your brain on earth," Vegeta smirked as he sat on the opposite bed.

"I am not in the mood for this hidden meaning crap, Vegeta," 17 snarled.

"Fine, why do you keep bothering her? What do you want?"

"I want her to trust me," 17 exploded as he leapt to his feet, "I want her to tell me if some alien bastard tried to bite her or kiss her! I want to know!"

Vegeta nodded.

"As do I, though she will probably never tell."

"Why?" 

"She is a warrior and as a warrior she will bear her pain alone," Vegeta's voice turned solemn, "She is not going to change, not even for you..."

"Well, that's fine! I don't want her to change I... she needs to cry.... She needs to release the emotions she has bottled up inside of her before she explodes... she needs to cry..."

17 sat down and lowered his head.

Vegeta regarded the android in silence.

"I have only seen her cry once in my entire life," Vegeta said softly as if he was talking to himself.

17 lifted his head.

"It was right after she met you and discovered you were an android--"

"But--" 17 interjected but Vegeta talked over him as if he had said nothing.

"She came to me, thinking you were no more than a machine with artificial intelligence. A fake man. She was devastated. Bulma told her otherwise."

"She cried because she thought I wasn't real," 17 said almost disbelievingly.

Vegeta shrugged.

"Draw your own conclusions. Leave her alone for now and she will come to you later."

"She listens to you," 17 met Vegeta's eyes.

"She knows I won't pry."

**

"Hey, boys, guess what?" 18 burst into the room.

When they just stared at her blankly, she frowned, sighed, and tapped her foot impatiently.

17 rolled his eyes.

"What, 18?"

"You know the ship," 18 waited until Vegeta nodded, "Well, I convinced the captain to locate Dikon's exact coordinates for me."

18 smiled as she waited for exclamations of surprise, praise, and extreme gratitude. She received nothing as the smile died. She really should have known better than to expect reactions from her brothers, she was too optimistic for her own good. 

"How did you do this? What did you promise the captain?" Vegeta frowned.

"I promised to smile at him and my hand in marriage if Krillin should die," 18 shrugged.

"What?" 17 blinked at her.

"Hn, figures," Vegeta shook his head, "Only a woman could get expensive information for free."

18's laughter filled the room.

"We need all the advantages we can get, Vegeta," 18 smirked amused, "17, go tell Ava the good news you moron!"

17 nodded and left the room.

"Give him any tips?" 18 lifted a brow.

"Only to give her space," Vegeta rolled his eyes, "I hope they solve this little problem before lights out, after all, I am the one who has to share a room with her."

"She's your sister," 18 smiled.

"Hn."

**

"Do you know the legend, Blue?" Dikon sat down as Blue ran around exploring the new space.

"Legend?" She turned to him.

"An old story about a... super saiyan," Dikon closed his eyes as he started to rub his temples, the Splavoids were giving him a headache.

__

Why did I ever accept this challenge? Dikon sighed. _Because you will make lots of money if you succeed._

"I know all about super saiyans!" Blue squealed.

Dikon opened his eyes.

"Are you the legendary?"

"Legendary?"

"Did... your mother ever tell you, you would become a super saiyan?" Dikon asked sharply.

"Maybe," her eyes danced.

"You can tell me," Dikon softened his voice, "I know Prince Vegeta is your father's brother."

Dikon ground his teeth softly when Blue just shook her head at him.

"Fine, but at least tell me how your uncle got his tail chopped off."

"Yajirobe cut it off when he was fighting," she told him seriously.

"Yajirobe, huh? He must be extremely powerful," Dikon said unable to hide the awe in his voice.

Dikon frowned confused when Blue burst into uncontrollable giggles and wouldn't explain what she thought was so funny.

**

"Ava?" 17 tapped gently on the door.

"Go away."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean what I said earlier, Ava... I was just mad and... I thought you liked to make me mad," 17's voice turned from pleading to teasing.

"Come on, open the door, I have news," 17 offered.

A smile crossed his lips when the doorknob turned but died when the door itself only opened fractionally.

"What news?" Ava stood in the doorway, blocking his entrance.

"18 was able to convince a captain form another ship to track down Dikon for us."

Silence.

"We will be able to reach Sasoli faster instead of wasting time searching for the right planet," 17 reached out to cup her cheek with his hand.

He was unprepared for the door when it slammed shit, catching his hand in the process.

"Damn it! That's my hand!" 17 pulled his hand free creating a small hole and a huge crack in the door.

"All you had to do was say was don't touch me," 17 grumbled as he inspected his hand.

17's spirits boosted when he heard his wife's quiet laughter.

"I will inform you when we have more information," 17 ran his hand along the crack he had created before he went to watch for the light.

End of Chapter Eight

AN: Ok, people here you go! I had a hard time getting this chapter to you, the stupid computer decided to be moody with me! Well, I showed him his place! Humph! Oh, yeah so I hope you like! This is all for you!


	10. Chapter Nine Torture

****

Chapter Nine

"Please! Aunt Bulma..." Zarah pleaded desperately.

"No, absolutely not. I am not going to send a five-year-old into space!" Bulma stood her ground uncompromisingly.

"I have to help Sasoli!" Zarah growled.

"Hey, calm down, I am sure she's just fine," Bulma smiled at her nephew.

"What's with all the shouting in here?" Goku stepped into Bulma's laboratory.

A smile crossed the full-blooded saiyan's face when he spotted the half-breed.

"Would you like to spar with me, Zarah? Goten tells me your parents train you regurlarly."

Zarah appeared to visibly hesitate as the opportunity to increase his strength was put before him and the urgency to rescue his sister.

"You might as well, since, you won't be going into space," Bulma remarked glibly.

"Yeah, Zarah, and we can get something to eat later," Goku placed a hand on the small boy's shoulder and led him from the room.

Bulma sighed to herself. It was sad really, Zarah really wanted to help, and came everyday to ask for a spaceship. _He will make a good husband, _she decided suddenly.

**

Bardock checked the time mechanism on his ship. One hour until he reached the planet where he would either find a small saiyan girl and know the records were incomplete or he would find no one and then go to earth to find his son. Hopefully Kakarot was alive and well, and if not... Bardock didn't know what he would do...

Bardock let his fingers play on the sides of his temple. He wanted to see if he could get a vision of the saiyan child again or if he would get something else. The last thing he wanted to happen was to become dependent on this ability, plus, there were some things best unknown.

Bardock set his jaw. _I need to know where she is on the planet._

He concentrated as he put the tip f his finger on the small groove.

**The alien with elfin ears stomped down the hallway with the girl in his arms.**

_Why can I never see her face?_ Bardock wondered absently as he saw the vision as if over the girl's shoulder.

**A huge arch loomed in the distance, obviously meant for ships, when the man turned the corner.**

"Are you going to kill me?" Her voice echoed softly in the room.

"No," the male replied sharply navigating through long hallways with ease, "You will stay in this room for your protection."

The male stopped in front of the room with strange symbols on it.

/^~^\

Bardock let his hand fall and his world instantly steadied. _I don't understand, I thought he was setting a trap._

He shook himself, it didn't matter, he was going in like a thief into the night to get the girl anyway. Discretion, though not usually preferred, was a vital ability in one's repertoire and highly valuable.

**

Ava leaned against the door with relief, the sooner they reached the planet the better. She shivered as a memory stubbornly clung to her and refused to be suppressed, again.

"No, leave me alone," she clutched her head, her voice barely above a whisper.

_Strong hands pinning her down on the floor of a ship..._

"Stop it," she whimpered.

_Dikon taking Sasoli from her, she couldn't get her back..._

She curled into a tight ball.

_The weight of a male, a tongue thrusting into her mouth..._

"No," she snarled to herself as she straightened, she would kill her enemy before she would submit.

_Green eyes, sharp teeth shredding her lips..._

She turned to open the door when the large jagged crack caught her eyes.

_I love you..._

She traced the crack with her fingertips, she closed her eyes in memory.

_Soft hands, soft lips..._

"I have become weak," her lips twisted.

She knew better than to isolate herself after such events had taken place. The mind was a very powerful ally but could be one's most dangerous enemy. She had allowed her mind to play tricks on her and cloud her thoughts with doubt. No more.

Ava leaned against the fractured door again and sighed. She knew what her mate wanted of her just as she knew she could never do it. He didn't understand she needed to be strong and to save her rage for the people responsible. 17 wanted her to cry. He didn't realize she couldn't do so until she found her daughter dead. If she cried now, she would betray Sasoli's memory by not having faith.

Ava opened the door slightly, just enough to peek into the main room, and smiled.

17 sat with his back to her, slouching, and, knowing him, he was leaning on his elbows with his hands supporting his face.

Ava opened the connection between them. _I love you..._

**

17 jumped to his feet in surprise as he heard a door close softly. He swallowed and ran a hand though his hair.

He had heard her as clear as day, saying the words he had given up ever hearing from her mouth, what she had always said with her eyes.

A smile crossed his face as he shook his head. Sasoli had to be kidnapped before Ava would admit love to him.

_Figures... Female saiyans, can't live with them, and you can't underestimate them unless you don't value certain parts of your anatomy._ 17 shook his head once more as he returned his eyes to the control panel where a light blinked.

**

"Dikon!"

Dikon opened his eyes, instantly awake, as he got to his feet to answer the door.

"Why are you disturbing me?" Dikon demanded softly, concious of Blue sleeping in the connecting room.

"The watch ship has alerted us to a ship that has already landed! He couldn't tell how long it has been on the surface! You must come!" The guard pleaded.

"How big was the ship?" Dikon asked, wondering how many saiyans had come.

"It was a pod."

"One saiyan? I thought more would come for sure," Dikon mused.

"Are you coming? A filthy saiyan could be roaming our halls for all we know," the guard looked over his shoulder nervously.

"I doubt it," Dikon snorted, "From what I have seen of saiyans they don't have a discreet bone in their body."

Dikon stepped out of the room and took one last look at the room where Blue was before he shut the door.

**

"18!" 17 burst into the room, "the lights blinking!"

Without a word she left the room and pushed the button. She drummed her fingers impatiently as the screen took its sweet time rolling out.

"How lovely to see your face again," the male smiled.

"Yes, do you have the information?"

"Ah, to the point, well, the word in the air is Dikon is setting a trap on planet Splavish. The Splavoids, had in fact, challenged him to do the impossible, find live saiyans."

"Do you have the coordinates?" 18 asked, trying to appear excited.

"Yes, I am sending them to your computer. I couldn't get any details about whether he has succeeded or not, though... If you want to know for sure, they have a watch ship that floats around their planet that alerts them of incoming ships."

18 frowned.

"That's illogical, they would only be able to see ships coming if they happened to be on the same side of the planet."

He laughed.

"These are Splavoids," he shrugged.

"I am in your debt," 18 smiled and tilted her head before him.

"I am in love. I hope we will meet again, and if you should ever need help again, my name is Prol."

"I am 18."

He smiled as he terminated the connection.

**

Vegeta punched in the new coordinates with gusto.

"Excellent, it will only take an hour, at most, to reach the watcher," he smiled.

"The watcher?" 18 asked, confused.

"We are going to intercept the watcher so he can't send a warning to the other Splavoids. Ha! Splavoids! I can't believe they evolved enough to grow balls but not brains!"

"What are we going to do with the scout once we intercept him?" 17 frowned.

"Wait and see," Vegeta smirked evilly.

**

Bardock held his breathe as the male he had seen so often in his visions walked by arrogantly with a Splavoid in tow.

_So, the lousy Splavoids are behind this after all, the bums._ Bardock checked the hallway to see if it was clear.

_Clear!_ Bardock slipped quietly through the door marked /^~^\.

He listened for any indication of being heard as he scanned the dark room. His eyes quickly adjusted to the dark room and he could make out dark shapes easily. There was no bed or sleeping place in this particular room so there must be a connecting room.

He picked his way slowly across the room as he ran his hand against the wall. He didn't dare turn on the light and give away his position, at least until he had the child.

"Ah," he said softly, when his fingers felt the distinct shape of a door.

He turned the handle. This room was slightly brighter as it revealed a bed with a small lump on it.

Bardock kept his footsteps light as he went to the bed. He didn't want to startle her and have her awake with great noise. He shook her gently.

"Wake up small one," Bardock whispered softly in his native tongue, ears pricked to pick up the slightest sound from the hallway.

The girl yawned as she rolled over. She sat up and rubbed her eyes sleepily. She then looked up at him though he seriously doubted her ability to see more than his general shape in the dark.

"Come on, we have to go," Bardock whispered urgently as he picked her up.

She seemed to smile at him though he couldn't be sure in the dark.

"I didn't know you spoke saiyan, Kakarot," she yawned, curled into his arms comfortably, and went right back to sleep.

Bardock blinked at her form. _She knows my son, he's alive..._

**

"All right, 18, are you sure you've got the plan?" 17 regarded his twin stoically.

"Yes," 18 replied, "now leave me alone."

The men had agreed to let 18 talk to the Splavoid since she had the most unlikely coloring for a saiyan. 17's coloring would have been too suspiciously similar to Sasoli.

18 watched the screen roll out. _We really should keep this out all the time._

"State your purpose with Splavish stranger!" A green pink-eyed creature demanded.

"I am an ambassador that wishes to start trade with your planet," 18 didn't hesitate.

"Is that right?" Greed shone clearly in the creature's pink eyes.

18 nodded.

"I will have to search your ship female," he told her slyly.

"Done," 18 terminated the signal, "it's a go boys!"

**

Vegeta sat on the bed in direct view of the door. He could hear the Splavoid making it's way toward him.

"What's in this room?" A coarse voice demanded.

"Nothing special, just cargo," came 18's reply.

They had agreed to let 17 take the alien down.

Vegeta nodded at the black-haired android who stood beside the door.

The door swung open throwing 17 into seclusion.

The Splavoid stopped in its track as he saw Vegeta.

Vegeta stood up and regarded him coldly.

"What is this?" The Splavoid stared at Vegeta completely perplexed, this creature looked like a saiyan but did not have the tail of a saiyan--

17 interrupted the Splavoid's thought process when he picked up the small alien by the throat. 18 stepped forward and quickly searched the alien for concealed weapons. She found none.

"Where is my daughter?" 17 glared at the alien as he brought him to eye level.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the Splavoid replied shakily.

"The saiyan girl you bastards kidnapped!" 17's grip tightened, "Where is she?"

"I don't... know," he gasped, "even if I did... I wouldn't tell you..."

"Then you're expendable," 17 formed a small energy ball in his free hand.

"Wait, I have a better idea," Vegeta stepped forward, "give him to me."

17 glared at the Splavoid for a long moment before relinquishing his hold.

Vegeta made no move to restrain the alien though everyone knew, including the Splavoid, that he wasn't going anywhere.

The Splavoid swallowed against the tightness in his throat as the one that saved him, studied him, and he wondered if he had been better off with the one who had tried to kill him.

"I am only going to ask you this once, where is she?"

"I'll never tell," the Splavoid stood up straighter.

"That means you know," Vegeta picked the alien by the back of his shirt and carried him from the room.

"Where are you taking him, Vegeta?" 18 trailed along with her brother.

"Vegeta!" The Splavoid gasped with obvious horror.

Vegeta stopped in front of Ava's room ignoring the gasps of the stupid alien.

"Last chance, Splavoid, or I'll let the mother ask you," Vegeta sneered.

The Splavoid turned a light green.

"No, female saiyans do not exist anymore..." he almost seemed to plead with Vegeta.

"Is that so?" Vegeta rapped sharply on the door, "Ava, I have a gift for you."

"You're bluffing..." the green alien trailed off, his eyes widened in horror as the door opened.

She filled the doorway with an angry presence, her tail lashed behind her.

"A Splavoid?" She eyed the alien who was now trying desperately to slip out of his shirt.

"He knows Sasoli's whereabouts but he doesn't want to share his information with us, maybe you could ask him. Give him your... woman's touch," Vegeta's evil smirk was returned by his sister, though her eyes had narrowed into dangerous slits.

"Of course," Ava snatched the creature from her brother as a fierce joy lit her eyes, "How soon do you want the information?"

"We aren't in a hurry, take your time," Vegeta offered.

The Splavoid let out an ear-piercing scream of absolute horror, which startled the androids with its intensity.

"I'll talk!" The alien pleaded to the androids, "Please don't let her have me! I'll talk!"

"Of course you'll talk," Ava said almost soothingly as the door swung shut.

17 and 18 listened with wide eyes as the screams increased in frequency and intensity with an occasional cruel laugh. Vegeta just stood there leaning against the wall, arms crossed, and a pleased expression.

Seeing their discomfort, Vegeta sighed, "What is it now?"

"What is she doing to him?" 17 asked barely managing to repress a shudder as a particularly anguish-filled scream rent the air practically in two.

"I would have thought it was obvious," Vegeta chuckled.

"Why? He said he would talk?" 18 looked at Vegeta with new eyes, she had thought the saiyan egoistical but not sadistic.

Vegeta snorted.

"Doesn't matter, besides, she needs this."

"She needs to brutally torture someone to death?" 17 asked sarcastically.

"Yes," Vegeta started to laugh at their expressions of surprise, "You don't get it, do you?"

"What is there to get?" 18 frowned, "Just get the information and kill him. I don't see the point of torturing him if he was willing to talk."

"Better him than us," Vegeta shrugged, "We used to have many childless mothers on the loose, their children killed in wars or mishaps."

18 frowned confused.

"Why is this relevant?" 17 asked.

"Something snapped in their minds and made them turn on everyone around them, everyone became the enemy. It was as if they couldn't handle the thought, that in the end, they simply weren't strong enough to protect their young. They were like... zombies, sometimes taking other's children for their own, stealing them out of pods, and basically screwing up our whole system."

"So what happened to them?" 18 asked, concerned.

"It was decided to put them together and send them on suicide missions," Vegeta smiled at their outraged gasps, "the funny thing was they always managed to win and survive with their numbers intact. Only in battle did they come back to life and it was there they lived."

Vegeta turned his face slightly to the door.

"You see when they fought the enemy, the only face they would see is the face of the person who took their child to begin with."

17, too, turned his gaze to the door, understanding filled his eyes.

"I understand."

He did, he truly understood what Vegeta was trying to tell him. Ava had been dead to him to everyone when they had first found her, and released her from her rage. She had only responded to him slightly when he told her Sasoli was still alive and they would get her back. She then had responded completely, only after, he had explained his plans for revenge in explicit detail. H had saved her from the zombie existence but only barely...

"Thank you," 17 nodded to Vegeta who just shrugged.

"I missed something, didn't I?" 18 turned to her brother.

17 laughed, enjoying the confusion on her face.

"Saiyans speak their own language, 18," 17 smiled at her.

"Spare me," 18 rolled her eyes, ignoring the two males as they laughed at her.

End of Chapter Nine

AN: Alright! Things are starting to happen! I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate your support, thee is nothing like a supportive reader so tell me if you like where I'm going with this story and I will update next Sunday, bye!


	11. Chapter Ten Bardock?

****

Chapter Ten

Dikon approached the crater with a healthy amount of caution. He had never faced a living breathing saiyan before and he didn't want to underestimate him or her any more than necessary.

_One saiyan. The only question is which one came?_ Dikon thought to himself, _I hope it's the mother! But, with my luck, it's probably the father._

Dikon glanced at the army of splavoids following him with contempt. _Fools, they probably think I will protect them, ha, fat chance!_

He grinned as he looked into the crater. The pod was open, curious, where was the saiyan? He frowned, as he slid down the side of the crevice. The pod was empty and there was no saiyan in sight.

Dikon scanned the ground for any clues about the saiyans direction. 

_There!_ A single partial boot print betrayed the saiyan's presence. Too large for a female and that meant the print belonged to a male. He inspected the ground again, there were no other prints.

"Why didn't we see him? Why didn't he challenge us?" Dikon sat on his haunches for a moment, "unless he wanted to get the girl back first! Hurry! Back to base!"

**

Bardock grinned, truly the Splavoids were the dumbest species in the universe! No guards what so ever! Still, he didn't let down his guard, not with the little girl tucked in his arms. He would check her later for injuries.

A shrill noise filled the hallway with sound suddenly making Bardock wince and the girl to frown in her sleep. An alarm no doubt, he had been discovered.

"Let them come," Bardock tightened his grip on the sleeping child, "Splavoids are no match for a saiyan warrior!"

**

17 and 18 looked up as the screams came to an abrupt halt and the door swung open.

"Feel better?" Vegeta asked casually.

"Much," Ava gave him a toothy grin before turning her eyes to her mate, "Sasoli is alive and well. I know exactly where she is."

17 studied his wife with no small amount of shock, she had done a one-eighty and her whole manner was... playful...

"Let's land," Ava smiled, "it's time to fight."

"Yes, it is," Vegeta returned her smile with a smirk, "It's been to long."

The androids shrugged.

**

Dikon raced back to the compound with about a thousand splavoids behind him. 

_Stupid! Of course he would go for the girl first!_ He had signaled the King Fruin of the saiyan running around the base.

Dikon skidded to a stop along with the splavoids when a large round ship landed between them and the compound.

"Shit," Dikon panted, as the hatch of the ship started to open.

Dikon charged the ship and skidded beneath the door before it could fully open. Luckily, he'd had enough momentum to slide completely under the ship and didn't have to wriggle the rest of the way.

Dikon got to his feet and kept running. There was no way he was going to die for these splavoids. Besides he had his own plans, he would retrieve Blue, use her to lure her succulent mother into a trap, and off they go into space, never to heard from again.

**

"Looks like we have a welcoming committee," 18 remarked when the hatch had completely opened.

"These are splavoids," Vegeta smirked, "kill as many as you like."

The Splavoids regarded them with fear and confusion. The dark male and female were definitely of saiyan descent but the blue-eyed male and blond female were not. Why would they side with the saiyans?

"We have only declared war with the saiyans," the General Paple informed the strangers, giving them a chance to back out now.

They watched with shock as the female saiyan draped herself on the blue-eyed male. A collective 'oh' was heard among the splavoids.

"Kill them," her lips brushed his ear, "and I will get Sasoli."

17 buried his hands in her hair.

"We have to go on adventures more often," 17 smiled amused by her behavior, "I didn't know you could be like this."

Ava laughed.

"That's because we don't fight anymore," she rubbed the tip of her nose against his.

"Well, that's going to change," 17's smile widened into a grin as he lowered his head to kiss her.

"Ahem, I'm sorry to interrupt but we have splavoids to kill," 18 lifted a brow.

"You also have a daughter to rescue," Vegeta rolled his eyes with annoyance.

Ava grinned, planted a huge kiss on 17, and flew over the ship to go inside the compound.

17 flushed with embarrassment.

"Well, are we going or not?"

18 laughed.

"You're hopeless."

Without anymore delays the war to end all wars on the planet Splavish began.

**

Bardock frowned. The siren was going but still there were no guards in the hallways. The splavoids made no sense and he was getting no resistance.

_Footsteps..._ Bardock paused in mid-stride, _too heavy for a splavoid._

Bardock ducked into a room just as Dikon turned the corner, and passed the smug saiyan. He went deeper into the room looking for another exit. He didn't know how strong that particular male was and he couldn't risk the girl being taken away from him now, she was his only link to Kakarot.

A scream of frustration filled the air briefly.

Bardock grinned, baring his canines as he studied a window for possible means of escape, and so he missed the female saiyan from his visions when she ran right past his open doorway.

**

Ava ran down a hallway, knowing exactly where she was going since she had rather detailed instructions from the watcher.

A male scream came echoing down the hallway.

_Sasoli,_ Ava put on more speed, reaching out with her energy, searching for her daughter's unique ki signature.

Ava slowed down until she came to a complete stop. Her daughter was not in the room she was supposed to be.

Ava turned around slowly and she frowned completely confused.

"Kakarot?" She whispered to herself.

She shook her head as the figure with Kakarot's hair ran down the hallway, away from her. He was the right size to be Kakarot but... he wasn't, he was wearing saiyan armor...

Her eyes widened as he turned the corner, revealing what he carried in his arms.

_ He has Sasoli!_

**

Dikon couldn't believe it! The little imp was gone! What was he going to do without a least a hostage?

_Well, she couldn't have gotten far! She's probably running around in the hallway! _Dikon stepped out of the room and stopped in his tracks. The object of his affections was standing in the middle of the hallway with her back to him!

_It's like she's begging me to take her!_ Dikon made his way closer to her, soundlessly.

"Kakarot?" She whispered.

Dikon's expression darkened. _Who is Kakarot? Her mate?_

She took off suddenly, running lightly down the hallway, and away from him.

_Is she mocking me?!_ Dikon took to the air and flew full speed down the hallway to her. _You will not escape from Dikon!_

**

18 sighed as she blasted random splavoids that were foolish enough to challenge her. She glanced at her male companions and rolled her eyes. They had opted for the 'hands on' method of killing the splavoids instead of merely blasting them to death.

"You're getting your clothes dirty," 18 lifted her noise in disgust.

17 separated a green head from its shoulders, getting liberally sprayed with splavoid blood.

"You're no fun, 18," 17 replied, tossing the head over his shoulders almost absently, "What say you, Vegeta?"

"There's nothing like a good massacre to get the blood pumping!" Vegeta shoved his hand through an armored chest plate.

"Men," 18 rolled her eyes again as she picked off splavoids with just enough energy from her finger.

Truthfully, this was rather anticlimactic. The dreaded splavoids were pathetic and easily killed, why they had ever thought they could challenge the saiyans was beyond her.

18's thoughts were interrupted when a familiar figure came racing around the ship.

"Goku?" 18 frowned as the figure swung toward her, still absently killing the little green aliens.

"Yardrat?" He answered, his voice was deeper than it should have been.

The scar made itself known as the male faced her completely. It ran down the left side of his face, as if it had punctured by something sharp, and lethal.

"Who are you?" 18 punctuated her words with her blasts.

The Goku look-alike returned her frown as he beheaded a random splavoid in his way. He started toward her, looking fiercer than Goku at his maddest.

"Who are you, female?" He asked, sharply.

18 repressed a shudder, there was a hardness and intelligence in his eyes that demanded respect and fear. These eyes didn't belong to Goku.

**

Goku and Zarah had finished sparring when Chichi demanded that they come in for a snack. The small saiyan seemed to be extremely uncomfortable in their company, no matter what they did to make him more at ease.

They had just started eating when a strange feeling hit Goku. He paused with a sandwich halfway in his mouth. The world around him had become fluid as if being seen from under water and became steadily darker.

"Goku?" Chichi's voice brought the world back in focus.

Goku shrugged and finished his sandwich.

"It's Kakarot," Zarah informed her as she walked away.

His saiyan name hit him with the force of a kamehameha and his present world became fluid once more, shifted... reassembling itself...

****

"Bardock.... Bardock..." Goku could hear himself calling someone in the dark.

"Who is it?! Whose calling me?!" A deep voice answered, full of pain and a bit of panic.

The world brightened and became green. Goku stood alone in a proud stance he only took before he went into battle.

_This looks like planet Namek_, Goku surveyed his surroundings curiously wondering why he was here of all places, and why he had no control over his body to speak off.

"You know who I am, don't you, Bardock?" Goku heard himself say with a firm voice.

"Yes...you're my son..." the voice answered.

Goku felt shock slice through him as his heartbeat increased. His father was standing behind him and he couldn't make himself turn to see him! _Dear Kami, I can feel his energy..._ Goku relished the feeling of his father's ki that was both familiar and disturbing.

"It's not too late to change, father," Goku's mouth moved as if it had a life of it's own, and his voice reflected none of his excitement.

Goku's head moved slowly as if to look briefly at the man behind him. Goku held his breathe.

"It's not too late to be different..." he met his father's eyes which were as black as his own.

Goku could see him! His hungry eyes swallowed up the vision of his father who reached out to him with a bloody hand. Goku wanted to desperately reach out a hand in response as he took in the battered warrior. His father must have recently been in a great battle to have sustained such grievous injuries.

_He is a warrior_, Goku felt a almost primal energy lace itself into his being, and it was in that moment that he realized what it meant to be saiyan.

"...from him..." Goku finished and saw his father's face contort in horror.

"Goku!"

The saiyan jumped as his wife touched his shoulder. He blinked at his surroundings when he found himself back in Bulma's kitchen.

_No! Father!_ Goku turned to Zarah.

"Say my name," he pleaded, though there was a rough note in his voice, which had never been present before.

"Goku," Chichi answered, eyeing him with concern.

"No! My saiyan name," Goku growled, shocking all three of them with the fierceness of it.

"Kakarot?" Zarah supplied hesitantly.

Goku growled again when nothing happened. He could practically feel his sharp canines as he barred his teeth, the wild energy seemed to only increase in intensity.

Chichi swallowed uneasily, she had never seen her husband like this, ever.

"Goku honey, what's wrong?" She almost flinched when he glared at her.

Goku took a deep breathe as he tried to calm the energy within that was threatening to take over. It wasn't her fault she disturbed his vision. She just doesn't understand. _He looks just like me!_ He thought helplessly, wanting just one more glimpse.

"Kakarot, what has happened?" Zarah watched his fellow saiyan curiously.

"I saw my father," a fierce grin crossed Goku's face.

"Your father?" Chichi lifted a brow with disbelief coloring her voice, "Isn't he dead?"

Goku let the smile slip off his face as the wild beast went still as if it had never been. His heartbeat slowed down to it's usual pace, funny, he hadn't realized his heart had been pounding.

"What is his name?" Zarah asked, as he started to relax in their presence.

"His name is Bardock," Goku breathed, as the energy stirred with greater intensity.

"Don't you mean his name was," Chichi watched her husband, concerned.

"No, I meant what I said. He is alive... my father is alive!"

The energy surged demanding release.

"Come on, Zarah, let's go see him!"

Zarah's eyes lit up as he reached out a hand to Goku--

--Only to have it slapped away by Chichi.

"Goku, you cannot take a five-year-old into space on a mission to find your dead father. Remember, Vegeta said you two were the only saiyans left alive in the universe," Chichi scolded him.

"He's wrong," Goku said firmly, the energy swirled in his system, "What about Ava, Chichi? She is as full-blooded as the rest of us!"

"Maybe... he thought she had died for some reason," Chichi shrugged.

"Exactly, Chichi, Vegeta wouldn't count her if he thought she had died! Just as he wouldn't count my father if he thinks the warrior died with the planet."

Unnoticed, Zarah relaxed completely, and had started to swing his legs absently.

"Goku, he's dead and has been dead almost as long as you have been alive," Chichi shook her head, trying to get her husband to see reason.

"You're wrong, he's alive, and he will come for me," Goku felt the energy surge as he felt the truth of the statement hit him.

"Come for you? As in take you with him?" Chichi demanded, as Goku seemed to zone out.

Goku shrugged off her questions as he tried to reign the energy back into a more manageable level.

"Goku, listen to me, he's dead," Chichi demanded his attention, her temper close to boiling over.

"You're wrong," Goku repeated softly with complete conviction.

"Then what about US!? YOUR family?!" Chichi blew up.

Goku's eyes widened in surprise then narrowed as the energy he had been trying to contain erupted.

"How can you ask me that?" Goku's voice was deadly quiet at first then started to build with frightening intensity, "How many times have I saved this world, Chichi?! WHO did you think I did it for?! It was ALL for YOU!! I died twice so that you may live! You and Gohan! And Now Goten! All for YOU!!!"

In a rage he threw a chair and listened with satisfaction as it shattered upon impact. Chichi just stood there, silent.

"Kakarot?" Zarah broke the sudden silence.

"What?" Goku surveyed the damage as the energy finally settled.

Goku winced, the chair was firewood. _Damn, Bulma's going to kill me._

"What does he look like? Your dad?" Zarah questioned innocently, completely unfazed by the entire incident.

"He looks exactly like me or I look exactly like him... Except he has a scar down the side of his face and he has his tail," Goku smiled as he picked up the pieces of the broken chair, shrugged, and dropped it.

"His name... is Bardock?" Chichi asked hesitantly.

"Yeah...Oh, sorry, Chichi," Goku grinned sheepishly, his hand going behind his head, "I don't know what came over me."

Chichi regarded her husband with new eyes and realized how lucky she truly was.

"No, Goku, it's my fault... I should know better than to doubt you," Chichi gave her own version of a sheepish smile.

Zarah frowned at the adults with sudden confusion.

"That's... ok..." Goku fumbled for words, he wasn't used to her apologizing, "I... it's just... I never knew my father and I want to meet him, besides you guys, he's the only family I have..." Goku tried to explain.

"I understand, what I wouldn't give to see my mother," Chichi sighed and put a hand to her temple, "All this stress is going to give me wrinkles."

"I'll love you anyway," Goku teased.

Chichi blushed making him laugh.

"You people are weird," Zarah glared at them.

Without another word the small saiyan picked up his dish, put it in the sink, and left the room.

"What's all that about?" Chichi frowned.

Goku shrugged.

End of Chapter Ten

AN: AHHHH! ::Slams the door shut and leans against it:: Finals... I barely escaped with my life! ::Takes a deep breathe to calm down:: Ok, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, though, I am a little worried about the Goku scene... I don't know, you tell me... ::Listens to the door:: They're coming! AHHHHHHHHH! ::Door is broken down and Michelle is forcefully dragged through it:: You can't stop me from writing!! Even if I return to school, I'll never stop writing!


	12. Chapter Eleven A Kiss

AN: Alright people, there was some that was confused about the last chapter concerning Goku. I forgot to mention that for Goku's vision to make sense you would of had to watched the short movie, "Bardock: The Father of Goku." Also the energy was the pure untapped energy being transferred from his baby self when he was whole in mind and the primal instincts crossed time and distance to Goku as an adult. Anyway read on.

Chapter Eleven

Ava sprinted after the male who had her daughter.

_What the hell is going on?_ Was her only thought as she neared the corner.

An icy finger of awareness ran down her spine as she felt a presence right behind her. She only had enough time to peek over her shoulder when two fists made themselves known in her lower back.

_Shit!_ Was her next thought as she was launched through the metal wall belly first, shattering it like so much glass with her assailant on her ass.

They landed in a painful heap with Ava on the bottom, and debris everywhere. She groaned trying to throw the weight off when hands clamped down on her arms and legs straddled her waist.

"Dikon," she growled as the now familiar sensation of pulling began.

"Nice to know you remember me, sweet," he whispered in her ear, "Let's run away together. I am willing to adopt your daughter as my own."

Ava growled, struggling as she considered her options. One, she could continue to fight him and eventually lose consciousness since she wasn't even powered up to begin with since she had been trying to be discreet or two, she could pretend to be unconscious and wait for the right opportunity to gut him. The male who had Sasoli must have been a decoy to distract her, damn, she was getting sloppy. No matter, she would play possum, kill Dikon, retrieve Sasoli, and go home with 17 to celebrate.

"She doesn't belong to you, bastard!" Ava snarled as she saw a shard of metal from the corner of her eye.

_Perfect!_ She uncoiled her tail and reached out for it.

"She could, in fact, I think we should start a family and have another Blue. I mean, looking at you, I would have never guessed you had given birth already!"

Her tail tightened around the shard.

"In your dreams," she winced as the metal cut into her delicate tail.

With one smooth movement she blindly stabbed him. She grinned as he yelped in pain.

"You bitch!" He grabbed a handful of her hair and slammed her face into the ground.

Ava used the opportunity to go limp.

**

Dikon stared at her in horror.

_Did I kill her?_ He got off the limp saiyan and turned her over. She had a bump on her head but she was alive.

Dikon grinned as he idly stroked her hair away from her lovely face. _I don't know my own strength._

"Oh, I am sorry, lovely, I didn't mean to give you a booboo," he crooned softly.

Dikon removed the shard from his bicep and winced, she had managed to sink it in at least halfway. He glanced around him for a makeshift band aid, nothing.

"Hmmm," Dikon smiled at the unconscious saiyan.

Ripping the bottom half of her shirt he wrapped his arm gingerly.

"Let's go, my love, it's time to start our new family whether you like it or not," Dikon slung her over his shoulder.

"Blue!" He called.

Dikon frowned, he didn't have time to look for her, not with the other saiyans roaming around. They were smarter than he had given them credit for, he had been alerted for the bigger ship but not the pod.

_Damn! I am sorry Blue . . ._ Dikon gave one last look down the endless hallway and flew to his private ship on the other side of the compound.

**

Vegeta scanned the area noting the Splavoids were running low. He straightened and nodded in approval as 17 took care of the stragglers, which were still amazingly trying to attack him. He turned to blond of their group and saw her talking to . . .

Vegeta growled as he stalked up to them. The hair gave the third class away, _I told him to stay behind!_

"Kakarot! What are you doing here?" Vegeta spun the saiyan around to face him, "Answer!"

Vegeta glared into surprised eyes when his own widened. Kakarot did not have a scar.

The Saiyan Prince blinked as he scanned the male in front of him. He wore an old fashioned chest plate, had a tail, and was bowing to him.

"Bardock?" Came the surprised conclusion.

"Prince Vegeta," the Saiyan grinned in relief, "You're alive."

"I could say the same to you," Vegeta shook his head trying to get rid of his shock, "What are you doing here?"

"I was on a rescue mission for this saiyan child."

He lifted the girl to display her to the Prince. The motion caused her to open her eyes.

"Uncle Vegeta!" She squealed as she reached out for him to take her.

Bardock's grip went lax.

"Are you injured?" Vegeta took her into his arms and studied her carefully.

Sasoli shook her head.

"No, Kakarot saved me," she smiled turning to Bardock, "Did you know he speaks saiyan?"

"Blue eyes?" Bardock exclaimed, surprise coating his words and expression.

"But how is this possible?"

Vegeta met Bardock's eyes head on.

"It's a long story. What I want to know are three things right now. Why aren't you dead? Where have you been? And how in the fiery depths of hell did you know of her disappearance?"

A wry smile crossed Bardock's face.

"That, too, is a long story, my Prince."

Vegeta and Bardock held eye contact for a long moment when Sasoli patted her Uncle's cheek.

"What's this?" She raised a goo covered hand for him to inspect.

"Nothing," Vegeta's mouth twitched in amusement when she frowned and examined her hand herself.

"Android! Catch!" Vegeta threw his niece to her father.

Sasoli squealed in delight.

"What?" 17 dropped a dead splavoid and instinctively caught the girl thrown at him.

"Sasoli!" He grinned as he hugged her tiny form close to him, completely forgetting about the gore he was covered in.

"Are you ok? Did he hurt you?" 17 smiled as he walked to join the rest of his group.

"Yes and no. Kakarot saved me," she smiled patting his cheek, "what's this?"

"Nothing," 17 announced, "So Goku's here, how did he . . . "

17 trailed off as he saw the man whom he assumed Sasoli was talking about, the only problem was, he wasn't Goku.

"What's going on? Who is this?" 17 spotted the guy's tail, _great another saiyan, weren't they supposed to be extinct?_

"It's a long story, apparently," 18 remarked sarcastically, "on both sides. Sasoli . . ."

18 trailed off as she took in her niece's blood-covered state.

"Did you have to get her bloody too?"

17 rolled his eyes as he set Sasoli on the ground.

"What is it with you and clothes?"

"You wouldn't understand if I explained. I am going into the ship," 18 announced and walked away.

"Daddy, where's Mommy?" Sasoli pulled on 17's shirt.

The ground trembled beneath their feet as the sound of rockets rumbled in the air. A large oval ship was glimpsed briefly before it disappeared into space.

"Hey, you guys, the communicator light is blinking again," 18 called to them.

17 and Vegeta exchanged a look as they both realized they hadn't seen, heard, or killed Dikon and now Ava was missing.

"Hn, it is probably that pointy eared bastard," Bardock informed them.

"What? He was in the compound?" 17 demanded.

"Yeah, I dodged him on the way out," Bardock smiled, unaware of the magnitude of his words.

**

"Zarah!"

Zarah jumped as his cousin jumped on him.

"What Bra?"

"Come play with me?" She cocked her head to the side.

"What do you want to play?" Zarah smiled at his cousin as he gently pushed her off of him.

Bra scrunched her face in concentration. Being only about a year younger than her male cousin, Bra had a surprisingly good relationship with him. For his credit, he was very patient with her, like he never was with his sister, who got along with Trunks more than Bra.

"Let's play tag," she brightened.

Zarah pretended to consider this while Bra looked on anxiously.

"Well, it does improve speed and reflexes. Who is going to be it?" Zarah grinned.

Bra slapped him on the back.

"You are!" She giggled as she took off.

Bulma smiled as Chichi joined her.

"What's going on here?" The black-haired woman frowned.

"They're just playing, Chichi, chill," Bulma replied."Isn't it weird how well they get along?"

"Well, they're from the same gene pool," Chichi remarked lightly.

"Yeah, except Zarah inherited a mischievous gene from his father and Bra a genius gene from me," Bulma smiled, "It's almost too bad they're related."

"Well, there is Goten," Chichi said considering, "He is strong and a bit goofy like his father."

The women pondered the future of their children.

_Well, we would be related . . . Which could be both good and bad . . . But then we're practically already family and Vegeta might even be happy that the strength would be combined with our genes . . ._ Bulma considered.

_Hmmm, Goten and Bra, we'd be marrying into yet another rich family . . . though we would be related to Vegeta . . . Still Bulma is a genius and Bra is bond to have inherited at least some of it . . . Goku would be happy as long as Goten was happy . . ._ Chichi weighed.

_It's perfect!_ They thought at almost exactly the same moment.

"Now we just have to wait until they get older," Bulma crossed her arms.

"Yes and then we will get them married!" Chichi nodded.

**

"What's going on?" Bardock watched as his Prince and the other male took off into the ship.

"Come on, Kakarot," the girl took his hand and pulled him toward the ship.

"My name is Bardock," he allowed her to pull him unaware that she could overpower him if she really wanted to a thousand times over, "my son is Kakarot."

"Bardock," she seemed to study him, "I am Sasoli!"

She smiled.

Bardock smiled slightly in response as they stepped into the ship and looked up just in time to see a screen of some sort turn on.

"Well, there's more of you than I would have guessed," a smug voice filled the air, "though the blond doesn't appear saiyan at all."

"Dikon?" Sasoli let go of his hand and rushed up to the screen, "Hi Dikon!"

The alien, apparently named Dikon, looked at her with surprise and then relief.

"There you are, Blue, you scared me when I couldn't find you," he scolded gently, "I told you not to leave the room."

Bardock frowned as the blue-eyed male seemed to shake with rage though Bardock could feel no power emanating from him. _Strange . . ._

"Bardock came to get me," Sasoli frowned, "it's ok to go with Bardock."

The Prince put a hand on the girls shoulder.

"Go in the room with 18."

The female blinked and then glared at the Prince as she took Sasoli's hand.

18? Strange name.

"Come on, we'll play a game."

The females disappeared into a room and the door shut.

"Are you her father?" Dikon narrowed his green eyes.

Blue eyes narrowed and the male stepped forward.

"I am her father," he sneered at Dikon.

Bardock studied him curiously, _this male is Sasoli's father? He isn't a saiyan . . ._

Bardock suddenly realized that the two males were glaring at each other with extreme hatred, as if they both wanted what the other had.

"Yes, your blue eyes should have given you away," Dikon snarled, "though what she sees in you is beyond me. Too bad, while you retrieved the egg, I stole the hen!"

Dikon laughed, revealing his extremely sharp teeth.

_Oh . . . _ Bardock narrowed his eyes, _he has the mother and her mate wants her back. Though it appears that this Dikon is jealous of the relationship she has with her mate._

Bardock watched the male as he seemed to radiate fury, though he remained motionless with only his hands clenched by his sides. A calm cool voice came from him that Shocked Bardock to the core.

"What do you plan to do with her?"

Dikon paused a moment as if unsure.

"I am going to keep her. She'll make a nice pet, don't you think," Dikon smiled arrogantly.

"A saiyan is not a pet!" Bardock growled with his Prince.

"You made a mistake," 17 stated, his voice was silkily dangerous.

Dikon frowned.

"Oh?"

"You let me see your face," a sinister smile crossed 17's face, "And now I will never stop hunting you."

Dikon arched his brow sardonically.

"Is that supposed to scare me, Saiyan?"

"I am not--"

"--interested in this meaningless display," Vegeta's hand shot out cutting 17 off, "You want to play bounty hunter with the Prince of all Saiyans then be my guest!"

Bardock nodded fractionally, _yes do not let him know anymore then he has to, give the female something to work with._

"Ah, Prince Vegeta," Dikon's smile became uneasy, "I have always wanted to meet you, being a fellow mercenary."

"Is that so? You will regret the day we met and curse the day you decided to steal a saiyan bride, that is, if you live long enough!"

"Why so concerned with a sister-in-law?" Dikon asked, confused.

Seeing his Prince's face go carefully blank Bardock stepped forward, drawing attention to himself.

"All saiyan blood is precious!" He growled, giving the blue-eyed male a warning glance to keep his mouth shut.

"I guess that would be true since there are only so many of you," Dikon replied.

"You have knocked on death's door," Vegeta gave Bardock a mildly thankful look and the saiyan stepped back, "Don't be surprised when he comes calling."

Dikon shook his head regretfully.

"I am sorry we had to meet like this Prince Vegeta, I feel we could have made decent friends."

Vegeta sniffed in disdain.

"Though you," green eyes narrowed again at blue, "I am sure you had wanted to kiss you partner goodbye . . . I guess I'll just have to do it for you."

17 didn't blink as Dikon picked up a limp Ava, apparently from the floor out of their line of sight.

Bardock and Vegeta started to growl at how Dikon was handling her when they suddenly stopped when they noticed her tail was wrapped around her waist.

Dikon held her like a dancer, though the arm around he waist was for support while his other hand supported her head.

"I can see why you wouldn't want to let her go," he pressed their bodies closer, letting her face rest in his neck.

"She is put together beautifully, don't worry, I won't let it go to waste."

Dikon dipped her dramatically, making sure they had a good view of them, and angled her head just so.

"Do it and die," 17 threatened icily, though blood had started to drip from his clenched hands.

"This is worth death," Dikon whispered against her lips, "didn't she tell you . . . This isn't the first time we kissed, though it looks like her lips have completely healed since then. She is an amazing creature . . ."

Dikon delayed the moment obviously enjoying 17's silent torment.

Then he nudged her chin with his to part her lips before he finally sealed his lips over hers . . .

17 growled for the first time in his life.

Startled the saiyans looked at the android amused.

__

He doesn't realize . . .

After a small eternity Dikon lifted his head to look at them.

"I don't think she appreciates being stared at in such a compromising situation so I must bid you adieu."

The screen went blank.

End of Chapter Eleven

AN: Alright another chapter is done! I want to thank Cat for threatening my assailants with her fire, it was very sweet! I might not be able to get another chapter out next week, I have to move but we'll see and I'll try to get it to you guys. After all without you guys there is no point in writing this story to begin with! Until Sunday! I hope . . .


	13. Chapter Twelve Partner?

****

Chapter Twelve

17 could feel his blood raging inside of him as the screen folded itself and disappeared into the wall. The image of the elf-eared sable-haired alien kissing his wife was burned into his mind's eye.

_I won't rest until I find you, and since I never tire, you are doomed to die_, 17 unclenched his hands and watched the blood flow from his hands.

It was a strange sight for him. It took a lot to make him bleed unless his wife felt the need for it or in this case he did it to himself.

"Well, she has that under control," Vegeta remarked lightly.

Bardock nodded.

"WHAT?!" 17 exploded, "What do you mean 'she has it under control'?! She is unconscious and being taken advantage of by an alien stalker!"

17 stood in front of the two saiyans with his chest heaving glaring ice at them.

Bardock was confused by the turn of events, didn't he realize that she was conscious since her tail was wrapped around her waist? If she had been really knocked out then her tail would have been as limp as Frieza's dick.

Vegeta's mouth quirked.

"What's wrong, android, do you want to talk about it?"

_Android?_ Bardock's interest peeked as he studied the male in front of him.

"No," 17 seethed as he stomped to a room and threw his sister out.

"Hey! What the hell is your problem?" 18 snapped as the door slammed shut.

Vegeta chuckled to himself a bit, amused with the androids behavior and how it mirrored his sister's, _two of a kind . . ._

"What's going on Vegeta?" 18 turned to the saiyans.

"It's Prince Vegeta, female," Bardock growled warningly at her.

18 blinked.

"Enough, Bardock, no one uses my title anymore," Vegeta sent a wry look to his fellow saiyan.

"But my Prince, it isn't proper," Bardock explained, surprised and dismayed at the disrespect.

"Just call me Vegeta," Vegeta sat down wearily, "Now, are you going to tell me why you are among the living or do you want me to remedy that."

Bardock nodded his compliance but did not sit until Vegeta motioned him to sit.

Curious 18 leaned against the control panel to listen.

"Everything started when we heard about a planet Frieza's forces were having trouble purging so I volunteered my squad to take care of the problem. Frieza's guards were surprised that a bunch of low level saiyans thought they could handle Kanassa.

"My son, Kakarot, had just been born when we left.

"We purged the planet, no problem, and we were taking a small break before returning to base when a native attacked. He hit me on the back of my neck. After I killed him, I passed out, and my squad rushed me home.

"In the tank I heard the bastard in my head, telling me he had given me physic powers so that I would see the horror of my end just as they had to . . ."

Bardock paused for a moment, reflecting on the things that had happened only yesterday for him.

"I begun to see Frieza blowing up a planet, it wasn't until later I realized it was planet Vegeta. I got out of the tank and found my squad had left without me on a special mission for Frieza on planet Meat.

"When I got there, they were dead . . . I killed most of them but Dodoria turned out to be stronger in the end. He almost killed me. I survived barely and went home to warn everyone that Frieza was coming to kill us all.

"They wouldn't listen to me . . . I resolved to kill Frieza myself but as I was about to charge the monster I had a vision. . . I saw myself die and Kakarot fighting the lizard in the future.

"I chose to leave the planet, find my son, and train him to better prepare him for the fight against Frieza. But I . . . cut it too close and our planets dying shockwave knocked me off course. I woke up a few days ago on a strange planet.

"It was there I had a vision of the girl being taken from her mother, and I was led to you, my Prince."

"I see," Vegeta steepled his fingers.

"I await my punishment," Bardock bowed his head.

"Punishment?" 18 spoke up, bewildered.

"He abandoned his race in it's time of need. He put his family ahead of the royal family," Vegeta glanced at her, "All punishable crimes on planet Vegeta."

"You're not serious," 18 frowned, "how can you punish him for that?"

"This is saiyan business, female, do not interfere," Bardock lifted his head just enough to glare at her.

Vegeta looked at the third class saiyan with surprise then he smiled. It was nice to not be questioned over every little thing.

"I reserve judgment, Bardock of third class, you will either prove yourself or die," Vegeta announced with a royal nod.

"As always, my Prince, you are wise," Bardock straightened in his chair.

"May I ask a question?"

"Proceed," Vegeta nodded again regally.

"When you first saw me, you called me Kakarot... Do you know my son?"

"More than he'd like to, I bet," 18 sent a smug smile at Vegeta who glowered in return.

Bardock turned to 18.

"You know my son?"

"Only briefly," 18 nodded, "he's a bit of a goofball."

"Goofball?" Bardock was puzzled.

"Deranged simpleton," Vegeta supplied.

"Is this true?" Bardock was a bit alarmed.

"He. . . hit his head as an infant, lost his memory," Vegeta's lips twisted ironically, "thought he was human."

"Human?" Bardock looked at 18 who shrugged.

"It's a long story, me and Vegeta don't know all the chapters to. So you should probably ask him when we get back to Earth," 18 smiled.

Vegeta snickered.

"She's still smarting from his 'how do androids have babies' comment."

18 glared.

Bardock blinked.

"Android? This is the second time you mention that word. Are you part machine?" Bardock' eye lit up curiously as he got up to go stand by 18.

18 kept a wary eye on the saiyan as he seemed to inspect her.

Vegeta was amused, _I should have known . . ._

"I would never have guess you were completely organic," Bardock regarded her with excitement, "This maybe a personal question but do you have a hatch or something, can I see your gears?"

Vegeta couldn't contain his laughter as 18 blushed and took a step away from the curious saiyan.

"Did I mention he was a scientist?" Vegeta smirked.

"A scientist?" 18's eyes widened as she took yet another step away.

"She reproduced you said, so that means you were organic to begin with and then mechanicazed, fascinating," Bardock started to close the distance.

Pulling a shard of armor that was bizarrely shaped like a scalpel, Bardock reached out to grasp her arm.

18 jerked away from him only to appear at the bedroom door, knocking urgently.

"17!" 18 kept her eyes on the saiyan.

"Go away."

"17! There's a scientist!" 18 hissed at the door.

"What?!"

The door opened, revealing a frowning 17.

"Who?"

18 slipped inside the room.

"Bardock."

The door shut.

"Did I say something wrong?" Bardock scratched the back of his head confused, an almost mirror image of his son.

Vegeta shook his head.

_To think part of the reason I hated Kakarot was because of the mockery he made of his father's image and now . . .Bardock reminds me of the clown._

"I guess we better get going, the trial isn't getting any warmer," Vegeta went to the controls.

"Who was the female?" Bardock inquired.

"Ava," Vegeta replied as he set the controls for launch.

"Ava? Princess Ava?!"

Vegeta's mouth quirked.

"Yes, Princess Ava."

"The Princess survived! Praise the gods. . . Wait . . . the girl said Uncle . . . and the blue eyed male said he was her father . . . " Bardock frowned, "Why would the Princess mate with a non-saiyan?"

"It's a long story. Basically, the android was the only suitable male on the planet."

"But my son . . . surely a full blooded saiyan is better than a half-breed even if it is third class . . ."

"Kakarot was already mated with offspring."

"Offspring?" Bardock asked wonderingly.

"Yes, you have family now, strange, isn't it. In fact, you grandchild Gohan is mated and expecting an infant any day now."

Bardock sat down. This was much more than he had even dared to hope. To think he had a family waiting for him on this... earth... Only they didn't know he existed.

"My Prince," Bardock's thoughts returned to the matter at hand, "isn't the android a bit... puny... for the Princess?"

"Don't get them wrong, Bardock," Vegeta gave him a narrow look, "They were designed to kill your son and have enough power to take down a super saiyan."

"Impossible, a super saiyan is an all powerful warrior."

"Not as all powerful as we thought, Bardock," Vegeta grumbled.

"What are you saying?" Bardock frowned.

"It's a long story," Vegeta turned to the older saiyan, "If you want your pod then you should retrieve it now."

Bardock nodded and left the ship with high spirits. _I have a family . . ._

**

_Bastard!_ Ava ground out in her thoughts, it had taken all of her willpower not to attack the male who dared take liberties. Oh how she wanted to tear out the bastard's throat with her teeth!

And to make matters worse, Sasoli wasn't even on the ship! So now, she was 'captive' to this asshole for nothing!

Ava indulged in a brief fantasy where Dikon bleed to death from a ragged tear in his neck while she stood above his body laughing.

She heard the transmission cut off with an audible beep. She could feel him starring at her.

"It's ok, love, he'll never bother you again."

Ava repressed the urge to lift an eyebrow. Honestly, it wasn't 17 who she wanted to stop bothering her.

"I am sorry but I have to restrain you until you come to your senses and realize that you love me."

She was lifted and held against a wall.

Ava fought the panic that threatened to claw it's way out. It wasn't possible for Dikon to have a wall confinement, only the Kold family had access to that technology.

She nearly sighed with relief when her right arm was moved up and shackled about two feet from her head. Her other arm was secured similarly and then her ankles.

A hand was placed on her bare stomach.

"And you gave birth . . ."

A beeping.

A sigh as the hand lifted and then another beep.

"What the hell happened?" Dikon's voice sliced through the air.

"What do you mean? I told you the female was on her way," an irritated voice replied.

"Yes, in a big round ship . . . but you missed the damn pod!"

"What pod?"

"Exactly."

"Did you get the female or not?" The voice snapped.

"Yes, no thanks to you, she's right there . . ."

"That's impossible . . ."

"I told you she had black hair," Dikon's voice was now amused, "Though I did see the blond one."

"Then she isn't the one you want. . ."

"The blond?"

"Yes, the blond."

"No."

"Then I want her."

"What?" Dikon's voice was incredulous.

"You got a female, I want one."

"But . . ."

"What's the matter? The all powerful Dikon is afraid to confront saiyans?" The voice was mocking.

"I already took one female from them and I am not eager to take the possible mate of Prince Vegeta," Dikon spat.

"Prince Vegeta? He's dead."

"That's what I thought but he's alive and pissed."

A pause.

"I still want the blond."

"I'll see what I can do," Dikon stated sarcastically.

Another beep.

_How curious, maybe I will continue the charade to find out Dikon's partner._ Ava considered, _I will check out his ship. If I can fly it, Dikon is dead. If I can't it's helpless female for me. Ha, as if a saiyan could ever be helpless!_

**

Dikon shook his head at his friend's antics.

_Who cares about the blond? She is nothing compared to . . . the saiyan._

"What is your name?" Dikon asked irritably, not expecting a reply.

She was beautiful as she hung limply chained to the wall. The charming way her head drooped forward with her spiky hair obscuring her face.

Dikon stiffened as he spotted movement. His green eyes narrowed into green pieces of glass. Pissed he stalked to the saiyan and paused before her.

"Did you think I wouldn't notice?!" He snarled.

**

"I hate you!" Videl screamed.

Clueless Gohan gestured helplessly, "What did I do?"

"What did you DO? As if you didn't know!" Videl tried to punch Gohan in his gut only to be restrained.

"I don't know, tell me what I did," Gohan pleaded, knowing how bad it was for her to be upset in her condition.

"You ate all the chocolate ice cream," Videl burst into tears and buried her face in Gohan's shirt.

Gohan awkwardly patted her back trying to comfort her.

"Hormones," Chichi laughed at her son as she walked by, having heard the whole thing.

"It's ok Videl, I'll buy more ice cream, right now," Gohan whispered softly.

"Really?" Videl lifted tearful blue eyes to meet Gohan's.

"Yes, of course," Gohan nodded.

The soft blue eyes hardened suddenly.

"You had better, this is your fault anyway!" Videl screamed at him.

"Don't touch me!" She slapped at his hands, "Go buy the damn ice cream and it had better be the right kind, too!"

Gohan nodded and turned to leave only to find Bulma with an amused smile on her face.

"Cravings," Bulma laughed as she patted Gohan's cheek, "You poor boy."

"Gohan," Videl's voice out in an angry hiss, "Why is she touching you?"

Gohan blushed at the insinuation as Bulma laughed and walked away.

"Yeah right, any time Gohan, you just tell me the time and place," Bulma sent a saucy wink over her shoulder playfully.

"Bulma, you're not helping," Gohan pleaded as Videl charged after the older woman.

"He's mine!" She screamed as Gohan restrained her.

Bulma lifted a brow as she turned around.

"I was only joking, you see, I have known Gohan since he was practically in diapers. Hell, I knew his father since he was like eleven," Bulma smiled, "Besides, I have a full blooded saiyan to keep me warm at night and what's more he's a prince!"

"So you don't want Gohan?" Videl paused.

"Not when I have Vegeta," Bulma replied, "Though if I were you I'd keep the saiyan satisfied if you know what I mean."

Bulma laughed when the couple blushed.

"Go buy the woman ice cream, Gohan," Bulma ordered.

Gohan nodded, eager to get out of the house full of crazy females.

"Wait, Gohan, wait for me!" Goku appeared suddenly following Gohan out the door, "Don't leave me alone with them!"

"Sorry Dad but remember what Vegeta said, we are under no circumstance to leave the women and children alone." Gohan shrugged apologetically and flew away.

Goku sighed with defeat only to stiffen when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He turned to find not one, not two, but three angry females glaring at him.

"Kami help me," Goku whispered to himself as they closed in for the kill.

**

Dikon snarled as he grabbed the arm of the creature who dared to deceive him.

"I demand you put me down!" King Fruin dangled helplessly in his grip.

_He must have snuck aboard when I contacted the base._ Dikon thought as he eyed the King's hiding place.

Somehow the splavoid had wedged himself between the storage container and the wall directly beside the unconscious saiyan.

"You are in no position to demand anything," Dikon dropped him, "Traitorous dog! You left your people to rot?!"

The King pulled himself off the floor.

"You abandoned us in our time of need, mercenary! If you had fought the saiyan scum then we would have triumphed, coward!"

"A mercenary doesn't work for free," Dikon raised an eyebrow, "I was under no obligation to follow your orders."

The King shook with rage and then gasped at the sight of the female.

"You captured their female," he said with complete awe.

"She was my only compensation," Dikon shrugged.

"Let's kill her," the King clapped gleefully.

"Why would I kill my prize?" Dikon asked, amused, "Why do you hate saiyans anyway?"

"Our planets have always been rivals, our species at the opposite ends of the spectrum."

"Oh, so you're jealous?"

"Jealous! Of these filthy animals! Preposterous!" The King harrumphed.

Dikon grinned.

"Fine, let's ask her."

To the splavoids complete dismay Dikon turned to the unconscious saiyan intent on waking her from her unnatural sleep.

_It's time to wake up, love._

End of Chapter Twelve

AN: OK, here you go! Oh, and if your interested I tried my hand at a song fic so go check it out! Another thing, thank you for reviewing! Also if you haven't already go check out Dark Angel by Camero, trust me, if you like my stories then you will love hers! Thanks again!


	14. Chapter Thirteen Sasha

****

Chapter Thirteen

Dikon placed a hand on her foot and started to drain her energy, he wanted her to be weak enough to be contained. He pulled out exactly the same amount he had pulled when they had first clashed, he always made a point to remember details like that, and could tell exactly how much energy he was taking, it was a gift.

He blinked as he finished. Without the adrenaline of the fight the process of draining was almost as exhausting to him as it was to her. Shaking the feeling off he gazed at his only love with curiosity. She had not awakened. It was not unusual for a person to open their eyes in an almost instinctual response to the loss of energy and yet she didn't move.

_Females_, Dikon scoffed to himself as he cupped her face, _they just don't have the same reflexes as men. How sad and helpless they are, no wonder they need a man's presence to make them feel safe._

Gently patting her cheek he crooned to her softly, "Time to wake up."

"That's not how you wake up a saiyan!" The King erupted, "She is an animal of the lowest sort!"

_Hmmm_, Dikon ignored the irate King, _a_ _more drastic measure . . ._

Without a second's more hesitation Dikon slapped her, as gently as possible, and was rewarded with a sharp gasp of awareness.

"Dikon," she growled as she took in her surroundings, "You bastard son of a --"

"No time for endearments, love, we have company," Dikon interrupted her while gesturing to King Friun.

Her hands fisted.

"Splavoid!" She writhed, trying to get free.

"Why do saiyans hate splavoids?" Dikon questioned curiously.

She glared at him defiantly.

"See, I told you!" King Friun glared at her.

"That voice," her gaze swung to the short alien, "You were the one Dikon worked for when he was on Earth. I will kill you, you started this whole mess!"

"Nothing more than a bloodthirsty animal," King Friun lifted his nose at her, "Right vegetable."

"Better a vegetable than a fruit!" She spat as she squirmed still trying to find a way out of her chains, "I'll show you what a vegetable can do you fruit!"

"All right, you guys lost me," Dikon was completely amused by their display.

"Soft, stupid, squishy race of people," she went still as she laughed suddenly, "We are the ones who named them."

"Why would you go by what the saiyans named you?" Dikon turned to the King.

"Because by the time the rest of the universe noticed us the saiyans were already well known. No matter how many times we have tried to correct other species of our true name they would still refer to us as splavoids," the King stated with deep remorse.

"Really," Dikon considered this fact.

"We named them that because they go splat!" She continued to laugh as her tone took on a more sarcastic edge, "One, two, three, no animals are we. . ." her voice grew momentum, ". . .Five, six, seven, there is no splavoid haven. . . Eight, nine, ten, no splavoid shall live because we killed them dead!"

Dikon blinked.

"I am not the one in chains! Filth! How dare you say that to me! I am not just any splavoid! I am the King!" He roared.

The saiyan yawned, as if suddenly bored with everything.

"Let me kill him, he is a waste of organic matter."

"I'll kill you first! Whore!" King Friun charged her, pulling a knife from nowhere.

**

Trunks rounded the corner at a breakneck speed with Goten in close pursuit.

"Trunks, where are we going?" Goten whispered as they turned yet another corner.

"We're going to see if there is anymore ice cream. I think I heard my mom telling Gohan to go buy some more," Trunks slowed down a bit as they neared their destination.

"Oh boy, I hope so, Trunks, do you think they bought a different flavor? 'Cause I like chocolate and all but the best is--"

"I don't know, Goten," Trunks interrupted him, "We just have to go see."

"Ok," Goten paused behind Trunks, "What are you looking at Trunks?"

"You are not going to believe this, Goten . . . " Trunks trailed off as he gestured his friend to take a look for himself.

"Trunks, what's my dad doing standing in the corner?"

"I don't know, Goten, I just don't know."

**

Dikon watched the scene with interest as the female tensed in anticipation. But really what could she do? She was unarmed and chained. He would just have to save her at the last possible moment and gain her everlasting gratitude.

The splavoid came within arm's reach of the saiyan and just when Dikon was about to make his move the saiyans tail snapped out to wrap around the splavoid's wrist.

A sharp jerk and the splavoid was unarmed. Pulling the small alien off his feet, the saiyan visibly strained with the weight, she put the splavoid within reach of her hands.

"Dikon! Help me!" The King screamed with terror as she managed to wrap her fingers around his neck.

Dikon just watched amazed.

"You started this," she snarled, "now your finished."

There was an audible snap and the King went limp.

Dikon watched a pleased smile cross her face as the body landed with a thump. She looked positively radiant with joy, she was beautiful, and she was going to belong to him.

"Now," she panted lightly, making shivers go up and down Dikon's back.

He would remember her saying that in the darkest time of night, he just knew it! Tormenting his every dreaming moment!

Her tail made a come hither movement and Dikon's imagination exploded with thoughts about what she could do with that tail . . .

"Come closer," her lids lowered fractionally in an extremely alluring way.

Dikon swallowed. The only thing that stopped him from accepting her invitation was the dead splavoid between them. She wasn't as helpless as she looked but she was still a weak female!

"Usually I would accept such an invitation with open arms . . . I guess I'll need a shackle for your tail . . ." Dikon thought aloud, pleased when the teasing air dissipated.

The saiyan seemed to drop the whole seduction act as her tail coiled behind her back.

"What kind of ship is this?" She glanced beyond him, her voice devoid of emotion.

"Mine, especially designed for my energy absorbing abilities. You see, love, when I drain your energy it is transferred to the ship. Though, most of it is lost expelled into space, some is used to charge the ships power stores." Dikon stated with pride.

She seemed to consider this for a moment.

"Why have you brought me here and where is my daughter?" She lifted her midnight eyes to meet his forest green.

Dikon cleared his throat nervously.

"Blue is safe with you former partner and you . . . well . . . I have decided it's time to start a family and I have chosen you to be my partner for life," Dikon nodded to himself.

"I am a taken female, thus, I cannot be your . . . partner," she cocked her head to the side.

"Tsk, don't feed me that garbage. Women are fickle and change partners easily," Dikon retorted.

"Not saiyans," she lifted her nose with disdain, "we mate for life."

Dikon felt his blood boil at her disregard for him. He was Dikon and he was not one who was DISMISSED!

He slammed his hands on the wall by her head and was pleased when she jumped within her bonds. He leaned in closer, enjoying his height advantage as he meet her eyes on her level.

"You will be mine," he threatened, his voice lowered an octave.

"I will not," her eyes were scared but still defiant..

"You WILL be mine," his eyes bored into hers.

Dikon gasped with disbelief. He had forgotten about her tail, which was now wrapped around his neck.

"Remember, I could have killed you," she released him, "Let me go."

Dikon took a startled step away from her.

"I can't . . ."

"Why?" She demanded.

"Because I feel for you . . ." he spoke truthfully.

He watched her go limp with apparent shock. She glanced at the floor and then back at him.

"I am hungry," she said softly, obviously trying to change the subject.

Dikon nodded, she needs time to think.

"All right, I'll be right back."

Ava watched the weird alien leave the room. What kind of species falls for its enemies? She was extremely entertained by everything. Who would have thought being held captive could be fun? It was almost pathetic, how well she played him. In fact, it was positively shameful, a couple of years earlier she might have accepted his offers . . .

She shook away the thought, self-reflection was not a thing to do on an enemy ship. Now was the time to play her role and wait for 17 to get her since the ship had indeed turned out to be unfamiliar.

She smiled suddenly, this was an easy assignment and one not to be lightly taken.

"He's putty in my hands," she whispered softly, "and 17's unmoldable."

**

"Daddy, where's Mommy?"

17 glanced at his daughter who was in the process of being groomed by her Aunt 18.

"She's with Dikon," 17 informed her.

Sasoli nodded.

"Don't worry, Daddy, Dikon is very nice."

"Oh?" 17 lifted a brow.

"Yeah! He said that we were the only species close to his since Coola destroyed his planet," Sasoli said sadly.

"Who is Coola?" 18 frowned as she brushed her niece's impossible hair.

"Frieza's brother," Sasoli frowned.

"So he doesn't have a home planet," 17 considered.

"No, he lives in his ship! Only he can pilot it because it was made by his people and in his language." Sasoli tilted her head back to give better access to her hair to 18.

"So where would he take Ava if he has no home?" 18 thought aloud.

"To planet 627 in the white solar system," Sasoli smiled as the attention focused on her.

"How do you know this?" 17 was intrigued.

"I listened, like Mommy told me to on survival skills day," she clapped her hands together, clearly delighted.

"What else did she say?" 17 leaned a bit closer.

Sasoli opened her mouth to answer and then closed it.

"It's a secret," she said aloofly.

"We must tell Vegeta," 18 stood up and set the brush down.

Sasoli giggled.

"What's so funny?" 17 stood up as well.

"I thought you didn't like Bardock, he is still with Uncle Vegeta. I can feel them," Sasoli hugged her legs as she regarded her elders.

The androids exchanged glances.

"What are we going to do 17?" 18 questioned.

"What we can. We will wait until he leaves or we can lure Vegeta in the room," 17 started to pace.

"We can't stay in here forever," 18 pointed out.

"No we can't," 17 paused as an idea hit him, "Eureka."

**

Trunks and Goten peeked into the kitchen and saw a surprising sight. Their mothers plus Videl were sitting at the table actually getting along.

"I never knew that was how you handled him, Chichi," Trunks' mother laughed, "It's only too bad it wouldn't work on Vegeta!"

"All you need is a good frying pan," Chichi smiled despite herself.

"A frying pan?" Videl smiled.

Chichi nodded.

"I had a frying pan but now I can't find it," Videl folded her hands.

"Look under his bed," Chichi touched Videl's shoulder, "That's where he hides everything."

"You know what I do to keep Vegeta in line?" Bulma smiled.

"We all know what you do to keep him in line," Videl giggled, "You're only so open about it."

"You think so?" Bulma sat back in her chair as she considered it.

"Totally," Videl looked at Chichi, "Don't you think so?"

"I am not too fond of Vegeta," Chichi shrugged.

"Why?" Videl frowned, "He's a little rough around the edges but he seems . . ."

"Hot enough," Bulma sat forward, "What do you have against Vegeta, anyway?"

"He only tried to kill Goku for most of the time they knew each other," Chichi's brow lowered.

"Yeah, but it was Vegeta who got us wished back as well as Vegeta who saved us from Majin Buu." Bulma argued.

"It was also him who released Buu in the first place," Chichi shot back.

"Well, Goku is the one who could have defeated Buu when he was weaker but didn't!" Bulma snapped.

"Well, it was Vegeta who got himself killed instead of waiting to fuse with my Goku," Chichi lifted her chin.

"Chichi . . ." Videl shook her head at the older woman.

"First of all!" Bulma slammed her hands on the table, "Vegeta sacrificed himself to save his family and if that isn't worth anything than Goku's sacrifice against Cell was MEANINGLESS!"

Chichi narrowed her eyes.

"Just because you're jealous of me having Goku--"

"Jealous! Now listen here! Sister! If I had wanted Goku, I would have had him! I met him first and he believed everything I told him so if I had told him I was his long lost wife, he would have believed me!"

Bulma didn't back down from the younger woman when she shoved her face in hers.

"Hey, you guys! Can I come out of the corner now?" Goku's voice came from the living room.

"NO!" Bulma and Chichi screamed in unison.

"Hey, do you think Gohan is back with that ice cream yet?" Videl broke in.

"I don't think so dear," Chichi sat down and patted her hand.

"Yeah, we probably would have heard him come through the front door," Bulma took a seat.

"I can't believe he ate all of the chocolate ice cream," Videl fumed.

"Tell me about it, what nerve saiyan men have," Bulma waved her fist.

"They're uncontrollable eating machines," Chichi shrugged, "The sooner we accept it the sooner we can get on with our lives."

"We could still teach them a lesson, Chichi," Bulma lifted a sardonic brow.

"True," Chichi smiled.

"Good, then we're all in," Videl nodded.

"Trunks, what are they planning to do?" Goten inquired.

"I think they are going to have revenge on our dads, Goten, and Gohan too." Trunks tilted his head considering.

"Should we warn them Trunks?" 

"Naw, it would be more fun to watch what happens to them," Trunks grinned.

"Yeah, and then maybe our dads will want revenge on our moms," Goten grinned.

"Easy city, Goten, because if they're fighting then we're Scott free!"

The two boys high-fived, extremely pleased with the entire situation.

**

"Uncle Vegeta?"

Vegeta turned to look at his niece, completely breaking off his conversation with Bardock. They had been discussing possible places Dikon had taken Ava..

"What?" 

Sasoli motioned him to come closer.

"It's a secret," she whispered darting a glance at Bardock.

Vegeta complied and leaned down enough so she could easily whisper in his ear. He was used to this ritual, he and Trunks had gone through this many times. Usually, when the boy had broken something and was reluctant to tell his mother, depending on the object, he would cover for the boy and pretend he had broken it. Couldn't train the boy if he was being punished, now could he?

Bardock watched this interaction, somewhat confused at the Prince's extremely tolerant behavior with the child, especially since she was a girl. It was almost tradition to teach a female her place early on so that as she grew it would be subconsciously guiding her actions and if she should step out of line, which was rare, then her father or mate or brother would step in. 

Not that saiyan females were submissive, not by a long shot, and the rules for stepping out of line was flexible for each family, except the royal family. The royal family had the strictest rules regarding the females since they had to be an example for the entire kingdom. When the Prince had been young, he had been a holy terror while the Princess stood on the sidelines with a small smile on her face. She was probably responsible for half the things Prince Vegeta did.

And it was this unspoken tradition that made saiyan females so dangerous, both in battle and in life. They leaned to hide their emotions even better than the men sometimes, though they had no qualms about using their emotions when it suited them especially against the enemy that was reluctant to hurt females in the first place. 

Bardock could remember his teammate Sasha in battle once.

Flashback.

Bardock stood on the side next to Sasha on a planet Nout. The enemy was huge and powerful, this mission was not going to be easy.

"This is simple," Sasha smirked.

Startled Bardock turned to her, "What?"

"Look Bardock, there are no females in their rank. Didn't you notice how they tensed when they saw me?" Sasha was amused.

"Yes," Bardock had noticed.

"Good, now hit me," Sasha smiled as Bardock frowned.

"Why?"

"Just do it and don't pay attention to what I say or do. Hit me and then approach me like you are going to beat me," she lifted her voice a little so the others could hear her, "I want you guys to make noises like you approve of Bardock's behavior, got it?"

"Why?" Tora looked at them from the corner of his eye.

"Just do it. I got this mission on the bag," Sasha gripped Bardock's his arm suddenly, leaning on it as if she were infatuated with me, "Now hit me."

Bardock watched the enemy army watch him as he hit her. She went flying and landed harshly and the enemy bristled angrily.

"Way to go! It's about time you put her in her place!" Tora stated loudly.

"Yeah, she's lucky I didn't hit her first!" Someone else said.

Bardock started to walk toward her slowly while keeping an eye on the enemy. With each comment the Noutens would tense more and more though their eyes appeared glued on Sasha.

She picked herself up slowly and painfully before lifting her head pathetically to look at him.

_You faker_, Bardock mused as she started to scoot away from him.

"Please, I am sorry . . . I didn't mean to love you . . . I couldn't help it . . ." she pleaded with tears in her voice.

"We are saiyans and we do not harbor feelings!" Bardock said feeling quite stupid.

"You ANIMALS!" The Noutens exploded and half of the massive army charged them.

A fierce battle begun though all kept a eye on the downed female. She looked at them with tears flowing down her cheeks and flinched when a Nouten warrior touched her shoulder.

"Do not worry, female, we will protect you," the warrior was surprised when she buried her face into his chest.

The other half of the army got in front of her, obviously intent on protecting her from her fellow saiyans.

Bardock ducked beneath a punch and delivered one of his own with deadly accuracy. The Noutens had become sloppy in their anger and their advantage of numbers had decreased suddenly.

Bardock risked a glance in Sasha's direction and was shocked to say the least. The ground was littered with bodies and the reserves were no more.

"Looking for me, Bardock?" Sasha jumped on his back playfully.

Bardock spun around looking for a new opponent.

"Get off my back," Bardock was disappointed, there was no more, "What happened to the reserves?"

"You disappoint me, Bardock, I killed them of course. Mission accomplished," Sasha slid off his back and started away.

"Sasha," Bardock called after her, "What you said when I walked to you . . ."

She laughed.

"You bum!" Bardock laughed as well.

"Well, let's just say it's too bad you met Cara first," Sasha winked at him.

End Flashback.

Yes, female saiyans were extremely dangerous, their only visible weakness was often their slighter frames and children. They grew up learning to deceive and manipulate thing/people around them with almost frightening skill

The Princess was the most dangerous of all. Though it was a curious situation, what did she do on a planet that did not demand her obedience? With a brother who did not enforce unspoken rules? Free to do what she wished?

Bardock studied the girl before him. How would she turn out with all knowledge of the female secrets and no male dominance what-so-ever? _She's going to be hell on wheels . . ._

End of Chapter Thirteen


	15. Chapter Fourteen A Shoe?

****

Chapter Fourteen

"What's wrong Krillin?" Goku sat next to the monk on the bench in the Capsule Corp. garden. 

The saiyan had finally been released from punishment when he found his best friend by himself.

Krillin was startled for a moment before he regained his composure.

"I'm just worried about Sasoli and 18," Krillin shrugged.

"I'm sure they're fine, besides, what could happen with Vegeta and 17 there," Goku smiled.

"I guess you're right but . . .I wish I could be there with them," Krillin ran a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Goku's expression became distant as if he wasn't seeing the things around him, "I can't feel them and yet I have the strangest feeling that they have run into my dad."

"Your dad?" Krillin's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

A sheepish grin crossed Goku's face.

"Call me crazy, Krillin, but I could swear I saw my dad. I know he's supposed to be dead but . . . I felt him . . . for a second and I just know it was him. . ."

Krillin put a hand on Goku's shoulder.

"If you felt him, then you felt him. Stranger things have happened and there is no telling what could have happened during the whole Frieza crisis."

"Yeah but where has he been?" Goku frowned.

"If he is alive, Goku, then I am sure he will have quite a story to tell , it might even top some of your stories!" Krillin grinned.

"I don't have any stories, Krillin," Goku tilted his head to the side.

"Close-mouthed, huh, father like son," Krillin laughed.

"Hey!" Goku laughed as well happy to see Krillin snap out of his mood.

**

Bardock nearly smiled when the Prince chuckled and waved the child away. Prince Vegeta had softened the old ways. Bardock could remember a time or two when the Prince and Princess had been sent head over heels into or through a wall for interrupting the King while he was talking, and Prince Vegeta, not only stopped to listen to the child, he had merely sent her on her way. His son's voice sounded in his head, _it's not to late to change father._

_No, I guess it's not_, Bardock inclined his head curiously.

"What did she want?"

Vegeta lifted his head clearly amused with the entire situation.

"She was sent by the androids to tell me of Ava's whereabouts and enlighten me to the fact that they want to talk to me," Vegeta smirked.

"Talk? About what? Why couldn't they come out here?" Bardock inquired quizzically.

"Apparently, Bardock, they don't trust you to not deactivate them or something of that nature."

"Why would I deactivate them? Well, I guess I would if I wanted to see their most secret gears . . . Maybe to pull them apart and see exactly how they work . . . Make my own inventions with the intricate technology they must have hidden . . ."

Bardock's eyes had glazed over in such a way that Vegeta was strangely reminded of his mate. _Scientists . . ._ the Prince mused to himself.

"Yes, those are possible reasons they wish to speak to me. Bardock, you are not allowed to experiment on them, Ava would kill you."

"Of course, my Prince," Bardock lowered his head, "I would never endanger the royal family with less than adequate ideas."

Vegeta let his eyes wonder to the door, which housed the tin cans and was surprised to see the door cracked open with two sets of blue eyes trained on him.

"Bardock, I want you to glance at the door behind you," Vegeta kept his voice soft.

Bardock immediately turned to the door and was startled when the door slammed shut with a muttered, "shit."

Vegeta laughed outright.

"My Prince?" Bardock turned back to Vegeta.

"Are you familiar with the white solar system?" Vegeta waved the question away.

"Yes," Bardock nodded.

"Good, set a course for planet 627, the controls are fairly simple to figure out, here," Vegeta gave Bardock a small rectangle, "if any word confuses you then punch it into here and the saiyan equivilent will be shown."

Bardock studied the gadget with interest.

"Who made this translator?"

"My mate, Bulma."

Bardock's head shot up in surprise.

"That is not a saiyan name . . ."

"No, it's not, besides Ava no other female saiyan survived."

Vegeta didn't realize he had held his breathe until he released it when Bardock nodded his acceptance of an alien princess. Bardock was a saiyan warrior of old as well as knowledgeable of all saiyan traditions and taboos. In many ways he could have been Vegeta's father instead of Goku's.

"Is she powerful?" Bardock's eyes were shuttered.

"Her mind is her weapon," Vegeta watched Bardock closely.

"As it should be with females," he remarked lightly, "I don't know where we went wrong with our own."

"How so?" Vegeta crossed his arms.

"Well . . . you are too young to remember, my Prince, but saiyan females were extremely powerful as well as extremely manipulative. A dangerous combination, consider yourself lucky if you only have the one," Bardock answered.

Vegeta considered his spoken words as well as his unspoken words. Bardock was going to reserve judgment until he met her.

"How did you survive? Ava is bad enough," Vegeta replied, letting Bardock know he accepted the older saiyan's judgment, for now.

"Keeps the mind sharp," Bardock smirked, " though you would always wonder if you were doing what you wanted or what she wanted you to do."

Vegeta nodded, not surprised when Bardock's hand shot out and caught a flying object.

The third class saiyan turned and glared in the direction the object was thrown.

"Damn it," was hissed and the door slammed shut.

Vegeta smirked, this trip was starting to be more entertaining then he had thought possible.

"What did they throw?" Vegeta inquired.

"A shoe," a smile made its way onto Bardock's face as he set the shoe on the arm of the chair.

Sasoli appeared suddenly and whispered in her uncle's ear. When her message was given she skipped away.

"What did she say?" Bardock asked.

"They want their shoe back and they want to talk to me now," Vegeta stood up, "I'll take care of this, you go set our coordinates."

Bardock bowed his head and went to the controls while Vegeta picked up the shoe and went to the door.

**

Gohan landed softly in front of Capsule Corp. with his arms full of chocolate ice cream.

No sooner had he landed the door opened to reveal two demi-saiyans.

"Hey Goten, Trunks," Gohan nodded in their direction as he tried to walk by them.

"What do you have, Gohan?" Trunks eyed the bags intently.

"Yeah, Gohan, do you have more ice cream?" Goten smiled.

Gohan paused and turned to eye the younger saiyans suspiciously.

"Are you two the ones who ate all the ice cream?"

"What do you mean, Gohan," Trunks elbowed Goten before he could say anything incriminating.

"Hmm," Gohan shrugged, it really didn't matter, "Ok, I guess it's a good thing I bought an extra carton."

"You did?" Trunks blinked, he hadn't been expecting that.

"Yeah, and you guys can have it if you don't let our moms know," Gohan smiled at their pleased expressions.

"That's really cool of you Gohan," Trunks accepted the carton.

"Yeah, you're the best!" Goten grinned before racing off with Trunks.

Gohan smiled at the two little rascals, they probably thought they were getting away with murder. What they didn't know was there had been two ice cream cartons in the freezer and they had only eaten one of them.

Happy with himself, Gohan started whistling as he headed to the kitchen to where he could hear the women. _No problem,_ he thought as he neared his destination, _a little slight of hand and they'll never notice the other extra cartons I bought._ Gohan grinned.

**

Vegeta opened the door and entered the room, deliberately leaving the door open.

"Yes?"

"Did Sasoli tell you Ava's future location?" 17 inquired sharply.

Vegeta gave a sharp nod.

"Can I have my shoe?" 18 asked deadpan.

Vegeta tossed it in her general direction.

"Why are you afraid of Bardock?"

"We're not afraid," 17 said, disdain coloring his voice.

"It's just . . . he's a scientist," 18 shrugged.

"He is a saiyan," Vegeta's voice turned mocking, "don't worry, you're under my protection."

"We don't need your protection," 17 scoffed.

"If needed we could take him out," 18 crossed her arms.

"Hn," Vegeta's lips twisted.

Bardock stepped into the room startling the androids into jumping behind Vegeta.

"The coordinates have been change, my Prince," Bardock watched the androids curiously.

"Good, this is 17," Vegeta shoved his brother in law forward, "and this is 18."

Bardock nodded to 18 before he narrowed his eyes at 17.

"What makes you worthy of a saiyan mate?"

17 stiffened at the harsh tone as well as the question.

"I defeated her so she's mine," 17 put his hands in his pockets in a deliberately lazy gesture, "Unless you care to challenge me."

"So you're a warrior," Bardock's brow lifted.

"Ph, wouldn't I have to be," 17 replied almost sarcastically.

Bardock laughed.

"The same and completely different," Bardock nodded his approval to Vegeta.

"Well, he is an android," Vegeta shrugged.

"Is he bonded to her?" Bardock switched to saiyan.

"Yes," Vegeta crossed his arms, "I believe so."

"Why don't you ask me," 17 said in fluent saiyan, surprising the full-blooded saiyans as well as his sister.

"17?" 18's eyes flicked between the three males, confused to the reason why they had started to growl at each other.

17 lifted his hand and gestured for his sister to wait.

"So you learned our language," Bardock grinned pleased, "But such a strange accent."

"How very interesting," Vegeta cocked his head to the side, "When did you learn?"

"Mostly when she would speak to the kids," 17 shrugged.

"Well done," Vegeta left the room.

"Princess Ava has been proven wise beyond her years," Bardock bowed his head and followed Vegeta.

"Hn," 17 smiled as he turned to his sister, "Saiyans are the weirdest people."

"17 would you mind explaining what the hell just happened?" 18 snapped.

17 was puzzled for a moment when he realized she had missed the entire exchange.

"Oh," 17 thought about how to explain since saiyan was difficult to translate, "We were talking in saiyan. Bardock just wanted to see if I was worthy for the Princess."

"So all that growling was the saiyan language?" 18 asked sarcastically.

"No," 17 was nearly offended, "Would you like to learn?"

"Does Sasoli speak this language?" 18 tilted her head contemplating.

"Yes."

"Then teach me. I don't want to be the odd man out," 18 sat down.

17 grinned at her choice of words.

"You couldn't be if you tried 18."

18 rolled her eyes.

"You know what I mean."

"Do I?"

"Shut up and teach me!"

17 nodded, prepared to open a whole new world to her.

**

"Mmmm . . . Gohan . . ." Videl sighed with ecstasy.

"Yes . . .delicious . . ." Bulma groaned with appreciation.

"You're the . . . best," Chichi smiled at her son.

Gohan grinned at the three women who were gorging themselves on the ice cream. Truly, they were the most confusing people, one minute they're full off a salad, and the next they're making you pay through the nose for ice cream.

"Aunt Bulma," Zarah appeared at her elbow with Bra.

"Yes dear," Bulma turned to them.

"Trunks and Goten won't share their ice cream with us!" Bra burst out indignantly.

"Ice cream? Where did they get ice cream?" Chichi's eyes narrowed.

Videl stood up suddenly.

"They were the ones who ate all the ice cream to begin with, didn't they Gohan?"

"Ummm . . ."

"That's it! Trying to spoil their dinners!" Chichi shot to her feet and was gone with Videl close on her heels.

"Wait for me!" Bulma raced after them.

Zarah started laughing as soon as they were gone.

"Told you, it would work!" Bra giggled.

Gohan shook his head at the little troublemakers.

"Pay up Gohan!" Zarah demanded, ice cream was serious business.

"All right, all right," Gohan smiled, "Here's your cut."

"Come on Bra," Zarah took the ice cream carton, "They'll be back any minute."

"Ok," Bra beamed at Gohan before taking Zarah's hand and disappearing.

Gohan sighed.

"So many devious kids," Gohan served himself some ice cream, "I hope Pan won't turn out like that."

**

Ava watched with interest as Dikon wheeled cart after cart of food into the room. Truthfully, she was hungry and judging from the amount of food Dikon had brought, she was going to eat well.

"I wasn't sure what kind of food you liked so I brought a sample of everything," Dikon said as he brought the twentieth cart out.

Dikon watched her lick her lips as she stared at the food. _If only she would look at me like that . . ._

"How am I going to eat if my hands are shackled?" She flexed her hands.

"Oh. . . I guess you could always use your tail," Dikon pushed a cart within her reach.

Dikon waited for her to eat with her tail, it would be a very interesting for him to watch! Especially if she licked her tail clean . . .

Ava lowered her eyelashes at him. She could eat with her tail if she had to but it would be messy . . .

"One hand, Dikon, just one hand," Ava dealed, "I'll behave."

Dikon considered this option. He would miss the erotic display if he released her hand . . . but on the other hand if he did release her hand it could a step in gaining her trust.

"Ok, I guess if you were trying to kill me, you would have done it already," Dikon hit a hidden button.

Ava grinned as her left hand was released. Eagerly she reached out to snag the cart. Then she picked up a piece of meat and sunk her teeth into it, almost purring with appreciation.

Dikon watched her attack the food with obvious relish. He had given her no utensils and yet she was the neatest eater he had ever seen, and the fastest. The cart of food held enough t feed five people and it was gone in less than five minutes.

Ava reached for another cart only to find it literally at her fingertips.

"A little help," Dikon smiled as he edged the food ever so slightly closer.

Ava growled, she was still unable to hook the cart in any manner. She gave him an exasperated look.

"Do you torture all your prisoners this way?"

"Prisoner?" Dikon's smile widened, "You are my guest."

"Hn," Ava tried her tail but from that angle was still unable to reach.

"I can help you for a price," Dikon finally grinned at her.

Ava paused in her effort for nutrients and dropped her arms before turning to her tormentor.

"Explain," she didn't like the way this was going one bit.

"I will release you, give you everything you desire, everything you can eat, and a personal escort to wherever you want to go in the universe," Dikon paused dramatically.

"If?" Ava spat impatiently, she was hungry damn it! She hadn't eaten since she had tortured the splavoid!

"If you renounce your past and agree to have my offspring."

Ava's appetite died.

End of Chapter Fourteen

AN: Hey, sorry, got buried in homework. Review! Special thanks to DBZLover who gave me such a sweet review! In fact, thanks to all my reviewers who let me know I am doing a decent job. It is people like you who keep me writing sometimes. . .


	16. Chapter Fifteen Trouble

****

Chapter Fifteen

_Of all the bargains . . ._ Ava thought wryly to herself as Dikon watched her closely for any sign that she might comply.

"How about you free me, let me finish eating, and I let you live."

_I had a feeling that wouldn't work. Oh well, didn't hurt to try. Now to implant a thought into her head._

"You can't kill me," Dikon smiled charmingly at her.

Ava lifted a brow.

"And why is that?"

"Because you love me," Dikon smoothed his shirt.

"I do not," Ava frowned, if there was any man she loved than it was a machine.

"Don't lie to yourself, my love, admit it. You know you love me," Dikon teased.

"You are the one who is deceiving yourself," Ava lifted her chin.

_He is completely delusional_, Ava thought softly, _such a waste, if only I could get him back to earth . . . find him a weak earth woman for him to protect._

"Come on . . ." Dikon paused, "What is your name?"

"Why should I tell you?" Ava turned back to the cart of food and considered her options.

"It would be nice to exchange names before we reproduce," Dikon frowned as he realized she wasn't really paying attention to him anymore.

"I would never reproduce with you," Ava lifted a glowing hand in his direction.

Dikon nearly flinched as the ball of energy nearly singed his skin as it went over his shoulder. He spun around to see what she had damaged when the blast nearly struck him in the face. _Must have been reflected somehow . . ._ he thought as he watched it hit the cart right into her hands, _the metal . . ._

He had no time to move out of the way as the blast hit him in the stomach.

"Remember, I could have killed you," she laughed as she continued her meal.

Dikon gasped for air, the blast had been small but powerful. _The food must be giving her energy . . . vixen . . ._

"Resourceful," Dikon straightened slowly and grimaced, "no more food for you."

Ava chucked the cart at him viciously.

"You would starve me," she growled as he dodged the projectile, "and I thought you were different."

Ava deliberately closed herself off from him, refusing to even look at him as if disappointed by his very presence. Not too far off from the truth, the bastard! 

Food was always a serious subject for saiyans.

"Different from whom?" Dikon inched closer, unable to resist the bait.

"Frieza was not above starvation."

Ava gasped as her face was jerked to meet his, she hadn't expected this reaction from him. She also hadn't expected the emotions that swirled in his eyes.

"Don't you EVER compare me to that bastard!" Dikon said with barely controlled rage.

"You know him?" She asked as his fingers dug into her chin.

"I know of him," Dikon released her as suddenly as he had grabbed her, "It's his brother I know personally."

He started to pace.

"Cooler?"

Dikon stopped in his tracks. She was looking at him with stunned disbelief, strange, he had never been able to read her eyes before.

"He destroyed my planet because we refused to be his pawns in warfare. I was to be off planet when it happened and I have been tracking him ever since," Dikon's voice was raw with emotion.

"But you're a mercenary . . ." Ava shook her head, they couldn't share this background . . . it would be far too intimate.

"Revenge doesn't pay very well," Dikon hit the wall, "I am always one step behind."

_This can't be . . . we are the same . . ._ Ava swallowed and closed her eyes.

"I know why you can't find him."

"Why?" Dikon frowned, _how could she possibly know where he is?_

"Because he's dead."

Somber black eyes met shocked green.

**

"Alright, go on 18," 17 pushed his sister out the door.

"Are you sure that is what it means?" 18 looked at her brother skeptically.

"I told you some things don't directly translate," 17 smiled, "What's wrong, sis, don't trust me?"

"No, I don't," 18 remarked dryly.

"That hurts 18," 17 placed a hand on his heart, "Why don't you just stab me in the back?"

"You have a knife handy?" 18 smiled as her brother merely laughed in response.

**

Bardock's eyes darted up in surprise as the female, now known as 18, started to speak in his native tongue. Though it was not the language that startled him but the message she was trying to convey. Surely she didn't mean what she had just said, and even if she did, it would be improper if not impossible to comply.

Vegeta glanced at them amused, he could see his brother-in-law watching as well with a suspicious gleam in his eye. What an interesting thing to ask Bardock, either this was 17 playing tricks or the blond android had serious issues.

"I cannot . . . accept," Bardock remarked gruffly.

18 blinked at him confused. Why would he feel the need to revert to her language?

"I thought saiyans were always hungry," 18 frowned when the saiyans started laughing.

17 laughed as well before picking up his daughter and slipped out of the room unnoticed.

"What is so funny?" 18 demanded, if there was one thing that she didn't appreciate it was being laughed at.

"When you use flesh in that context . . ." Vegeta paused to glance at Bardock with amusement, "It means something else."

18 tilted her head.

"I only said would you partake of flesh. We have some on board."

"Things do not directly translate," Bardock smirked, "You basically offered your body to me."

"What?" Blue eyes widened.

"You offered your flesh," Vegeta motioned to Bardock, "Give her the translator."

"You appear to need this more than I do," Bardock tossed the translator to the android.

18 continued to frown as she punched in her newly learned saiyan. The machine beeped and announced it's answer.

"Would you like to taste my body? It is delicious."

18's mouth dropped open in shock.

**

_Dead?_ Dikon looked at the saiyan with disbelief, _could my hunt be over?_ Dikon knew he was on a suicide mission going after Cooler for there was a limit to what even he could absorb from the monster. Now to find out that he was dead . . . Most of his life had been wasted on this search.

"Impossible . . ." Dikon rubbed his face, "Who could have defeated him?"

"Kakarot was the first but Cooler returned stronger . . . Vegeta and Kakarot destroyed him once and for all," Ava was unaware of the tenderness in her gaze.

"Then I have made enemies of allies," Dikon smiled wearily, "How did you know Frieza?"

Her eyes shot to the floor.

"You spoke as if you knew him personally," Dikon said softly, wondering what story she had to tell.

"Frieza was more shrewd than Cooler," her midnight eyes glazed over, "He approached us with an alliance, our people are always up for a challenge so we accepted. It wasn't long before we realized what he really wanted and by then, it was too late. He had the Prince for his army, me for leverage, and then he destroyed our planet."

"Obviously more saiyans than that survived," Dikon spoke gently.

"Off planet," she shifted restlessly, "Now there are only three."

_Three?_ Dikon puzzled silently, _but what about all the people on her ship?_

"You said Frieza kept you for leverage. . ."

"Yes, the male of my kind refused to obey him . . ." She trailed off miserably.

"But they listened when he threatened your life," Dikon filled in he reached out to cup her cheek.

She avoided his hand.

"In time he planned to mate me to the Prince," she shivered lightly, "He wanted more monkeys for his zoo."

She sneered at the memory of Frieza, _may he rot among the insects and offal he created._

"What happened to Frieza? How did you escape?"

Ava growled silently at herself. _This was becoming far too personal . . . Keep it short and to the point._

"Prince Vegeta rescued me."

"But . . ." Dikon became deeply concerned, "I thought the blue-eyed male was your partner."

"He is."

"But . . . why didn't Prince Vegeta take you as a partner?" Dikon's voice was suspicious.

"We don't suit," a smug smile crossed her face, finally time to play.

"Liar," Dikon glared at her.

**

"17!!!"

17 laughed as he braced the door with his body. Sasoli sat on the bed watching curiously as the door started to shake in it's frame.

"Damn it, 17!" The door cracked.

17 winced as his sister started ramming the door in an effort to get in.

"Why is Aunt 18 mad?" Sasoli cocked her head to the side.

"Daddy played a little trick, that's all," 17 laughed.

"A LITTLE trick?!" 18's outraged voice seeped through the door. "I'll show you a trick where your head is separated from the rest of your body!"

A worried expression crossed 17's expression as the blows became more powerful making his feet slide across the floor before he could adapt.

"Sasoli, come here baby," 17 called to his daughter.

When she was secure in his arms 17 leapt away from the door at the exact moment 18 barreled through it. She was unable to compensate for the door giving away so easily, so she hit the wall, making a huge dent. 

17 laughed as he darted from the room.

18 picked herself up slowly, smoothed her hair, and stalked out the door. Her brother was standing by the control panel and the saiyans were watching impassively.

"I am going to kill you," she announced.

"Are you?" 17 grinned unashamedly as he raised his daughter in front of him.

"Even you are not low enough to hide behind a child," 18 snarled.

"Not just any child," 17 clarified, "but your only niece."

"She won't save you!" 18 charged him and 17 took off.

Sasoli shrieked with delight as they darted back and forth all over the ship with her Aunt in close pursuit.

"Do they do this often?" Bardock watched them amazed by their speed and agility.

"I have no idea," Vegeta remarked dryly, keeping a close eye on his niece.

"Faster!" Sasoli giggled in her father's ear.

17 grinned as he somersaulted in the air avoiding 18's hands, "I'll try."

Vegeta stood up as they increased their speed. Fun and games were fine but they were going way too fast, one slip, and they would go straight through the ship's hull like paper.

Bardock watched with approval as his Prince joined the fray.

The androids gasped as one was yanked off his feet and the other bounced off the Prince, both hit the ground with a thump. Sasoli squealed with delight.

18 was on her feet in a flash and glared at Vegeta who held the back of 17's shirt.

"Release her," Vegeta ordered.

17's eyes narrowed as he let go of his daughter. She ran to Bardock laughing.

"If you want to kill him then do so after we have landed," Vegeta jerked 17 to his feet and relinquished his hold.

17 straightened his shirt and sent a smile in his sister's direction.

"Yeah, 18, don't damage the ship," 17 scolded her playfully.

"I don't want to damage the ship," 18 replied tartly, "I want to damage you."

"Did you see us Bardock? We were going so fast!" Sasoli opened her eyes really wide.

"Yes, you were. How powerful are they?" Bardock inquired, curious as to how powerful a hybrid of machine and flesh could be.

"Mommy says 1.5 super saiyans," Sasoli smiled at the strange expression that crossed his face.

**

"Hey man, I have to go check on Maron. She's been taking a nap," Krillin nodded to Goku as he took off down a hallway.

"No problem," Goku smiled and made his way to the kitchen," oh hey Gohan."

His son spun around with almost guilty surprise.

"What's going on?" Goku narrowed his eyes thoughtfully as he studied the room.

"Nothing," Gohan laughed a bit nervously, "Just considering having some ice cream."

"Ice cream?" Goku's eyes lit up.

"Yeah, the girls were having some," Gohan shrugged.

"Mmmm, ice cream," Goku sat down and started eating his wife's leftovers.

"Um, Dad I don't think that is a very good idea," Gohan looked around nervously.

"Why?" Goku ate another scoop, "You had some."

"What?"

"You have some chocolate on your face," Goku watched his son pale suddenly.

"Yes, you do, don't you Gohan," Videl's voice rang in the air.

"Goku . . ."

Goku dropped the spoon at the sound of his wife's voice. "Um, yes dear?"

"Talk about catching them with their hands in the cookie jar," Bulma laughed.

Five minute later.

"I don't believe this," Gohan grumbled to himself.

"Well, if you hadn't been sneaking ice cream," Goku smiled.

"You should talk, you ate it right in front of them," Gohan replied.

"Yeah, but I have less time," Goku laughed.

The three women shook their heads at their men folk who stood in the corner.

"They are no better than children," Chichi grumbled.

"You would think Gohan would know better," Videl agreed.

At the sudden silence the Son women turned to Bulma.

"What? Speak for yourself. My Vegeta is more discreet," Bulma's smile turned smug.

"Sure he is," Chichi crossed her arms, "Bellowing for you to serve him."

Bulma arched a brow.

"He just does that for attention and for your information, he doesn't always bellow and he doesn't always want food."

Bulma sent a saucy smile over her shoulder as she left them to their own devices.

"Braggart," Chichi sniffed.

"Yeah," Videl smiled suddenly, "That's Bulma."

End of Chapter Fifteen


	17. Chapter Sixteen Titles

****

Chapter Sixteen

  
"Liar?" Ava tilted her head to the side curiously, "I am not lying. Prince Vegeta is notorious for his short temper."

"Why should it matter if he has a temper?" Dikon threw up his hands in disgust, "He is the strongest of your race, surely, he would demand you as his partner!"

"He didn't," a smile appeared on her face, "The idea made him sick, actually . . ."

"So he just let his brother sweep you off your feet after he went through all the trouble to save you," Dikon remarked sarcastically.

Ava lowered her lashes and decided it was time.

"Who ever said Prince Vegeta had a brother?"

Dikon could have been a statue after those words were spoken.

"What are you saying?"

A puzzled look crossed her face.

"I am saying nothing."

Dikon swallowed. He had no knowledge of saiyans or customs and he had the strangest feeling that was going to be his undoing but one thing was for sure . . . If Prince Vegeta was Blue's uncle then he had to be related to someone and if it wasn't the blue-eyed male . . .

"Are you saying he has a sister?" He whispered more to himself than to her.

"Who said he had a sister?" Came an innocent reply.

Dikon frowned.

"Why would Blue call Prince Vegeta uncle if he has no siblings?"

Ava tilted her head to the side, pretending to consider his question.

"We . . . are all family," she shrugged.

Dikon examined her words and seemingly innocent face carefully. She was telling the truth and lying in the same breathe but which was which?

_Oh well, _he thought, _best not to dwell on past lovers. We should move on to future lovers!_

"So we are both survivors of the Kold family," Dikon drummed his fingers on the back a chair.

"Correct," Ava nodded.

_Why the sudden change of subject?_ Ava pondered silently.

"We are the last of our kind," Dikon smiled.

"Correct."

"Our species is unique in the universe."

"Correct."

"It is written in the stars for us to be together."

"Incorrect."

_I see,_ Ava shook her head at his rather pathetic attempt at word games, _amateur._

"Damn, I almost had you," Dikon sighed, "What is so great about Kakarot anyway?"

Dikon almost pouted at her stubbornness.

"Kakarot?" Her eyebrows shot up.

"Yes, your partner," green eyes shifted.

"He is not my mate," amusement colored her voice.

_He almost was_, Ava hid her smile, _but Vegeta wouldn't allow that . . ._

"You said Mr. Blue-eyes was your partner and you said the name Kakarot in the corridor back on Splavish, so don't bother to deny he is your mate," Dikon barred his teeth at her.

"He is and he is not." Ava adopted a rather bland expression.

"How is that possible?" Dikon narrowed his eyes. "Either he is or he is not."

"Correct."

"Alright," Dikon rubbed his temples, "Just give me a straight answer. Who is your partner?"

"He is 17."

"Kakarot is seventeen?"

"My mate?"

"Yes."

"Yes," Ava had to hold back her laughter as he nearly tore his own hair out.

"You're giving me a headache," Dikon grumbled, "I can't believe a word you say."

"Why?" Ava frowned to give him the impression that she was insulted by his words.

"Because you're lying."

"I am not."

"All right, Spike," Dikon shoved a cart of food in her reach, "You win, eat!"

"Spike?" Ava glanced at him as she started to satisfy her hunger.

"If you won't tell me your name then I will have to give you one. Your hair is extremely spiky thus the name Spike." Dikon shrugged.

"Hn."

**

"1.5 super saiyans?" Bardock blinked at the girl.

Vegeta sighed as the words reached his ears.

"She means an almost ascended super saiyan," Vegeta remarked dryly as he retook his seat.

"Ascended super saiyan? But- I- How do know how powerful a super saiyan is?" Bardock frowned, unaware of Sasoli climbing into his lap. 

"Is it even possible for a super saiyan to ascend?"

"Let's make a long story short," Vegeta flicked his internal switch in his mind that would trigger his transformation, he didn't notice the androids stop their bickering to watch as well as listen.

"My lord," Bardock bowed before his blond prince, "You are king."

"Get up," Vegeta rumbled as he switched back, "It is not a rare thing nowadays."

"You mean . . ." Bardock tailed off disbelievingly.

"Yes, all of your blood had made the ascension as well as my own," Vegeta informed leaving out Bra," and Bardock, I am Prince Vegeta not King."

"But . . ." Recognition lighted in Bardock's dark eyes as he realized what had happened.

"Yes," came the resigned answer from the Prince.

Sasoli's gaze flicked back and forth between the two saiyans curiously, "I don't understand, Uncle Vegeta, what do you mean?"

"Kakarot transformed before I did," Vegeta patted her head, "I am not King."

"I didn't know Goku became a super saiyan first," 18 remarked lightly, drawing the saiyans' attention.

"Well, it makes sense doesn't it," 17 replied, "No wonder he's held a grudge against Goku for so long. He made Vegeta forfeit the crown, I'd be royally pissed too."

Vegeta's eyes darted to Bardock as these words were spoken. He had hoped the older saiyan would remain unaware of this particular part of his past.

Bardock felt a wry smile slid onto his face.

"I had a vision of you and my son fighting . . ." the smile turned sad, "I guess I had hoped you two were sparring."

Silence enveloped the room giving it a tomb like atmosphere, even Sasoli was quiet.

"I refuse to sing Kakarot's praises," Vegeta got to his feet in one smooth movement, "but that time has passed and the saiyans are reunited as one power though there is no hierarchy. I am Vegeta and you are Bardock."

Vegeta bowed for the first time in his life to another under his own free will. There are no titles in war and there should not be titles between friends. Though short the meaning of the bow was abundantly clear to all in the room.

"Your son is a warrior. Different from us in thought and alike in action. I can only . . ." Vegeta trailed off abruptly and turned to leave.

"He is," Bardock announced making Vegeta pause, "He would be a fool not to . . ."

Vegeta nodded and continued out of the main room.

18 turned to 17 as soon as the bedroom door clicked shut.

"Not to what?"

"Be proud," 17 frowned, "I am not sure who they were referring to though."

17 was actually a little surprised that he could understand so much of their unspoken lingo, life with Ava certainly had advantages.

18 tapped Bardock's shoulder.

"Who were you talking about?"

Bardock glanced up at her, _she must have gotten over her fear of me._

"His father."

**

"We have a traitor in our midst, Goten," Trunks frowned as he lay on his bed.

"Who Trunks?" Goten winced, spankings didn't condone the act of sitting.

"I am not sure," Trunks paused thoughtfully, "Gohan isn't the type of person to do this sort of thing."

"My brother would never," Goten agreed.

Trunks eyes glittered suddenly as he sat up.

"That only leaves two people who are capable of this."

"Who?"

"Zarah and Bra."

**

Krillin peeked in the guest bedroom of Capsule Corp. to check on his only daughter.

She wasn't asleep. She sat in the middle of the bed playing with her doll they had packed for her.

"Hey sweetheart," Krillin stepped into the room.

"Hi daddy," she returned his smile, "Where's Mommy?"

"She went to go rescue Sasoli, remember?" Krillin sat down next to her.

"I remember," her blond head lowered for a moment when she lifted tearful blue eyes to her father, "Daddy?"

"Yes?" Krillin's heart nearly broke as her next words reached his ears.

"Would you rescue me if I was taken?" She climbed into his lap.

"Yes, of course, we would. Aunt Ava and Uncle 17 would die before they let you be taken," Krillin rocked her.

"Really?" she lifted her tiny face to his.

"Really," Krillin kissed her forehead, "That's what daddies are for."

End of Chapter Sixteen

AN: Sorry. Sick. School sucks. Sick.


	18. Chapter Seventeen A Vision

****

Chapter Seventeen

"Zarah and Bra?" Goten tilted his head to the side, "Why would they do this to us?"

Trunks' blue eyes narrowed dangerously for a boy his age.

"Why don't we ask them?"

**

"Landing sequence activated," the computer announced.

"Where are we?" Ava pushed the cart away from her, her meal complete.

"My private planet I use for refueling," Dikon shrugged as he looked at all the empty carts of food with a sort of awe.

"Oh," Ava bit her lip thoughtfully.

"What's wrong, Spike?" Dikon paused as he noticed the pensive expression.

_I have become weak_, Ava sighed to herself resigned, for as much as she had hated him to begin with she found herself . . . She didn't wish to see him dead.

"Dikon," she bit her lip when his eyes lit up at the sound of his name, "I cannot . . . love . . . you. My mate conquered me and I chose him over many, years ago. I cannot betray him."

Dikon's green orbs became wounded as her words sank in before they became shuttered.

"We can become allies, maybe even friends if you release me and join us," Ava continued softly," I would not allow them to kill you."

Dikon's head lowered slightly, just enough to hide his eyes from her sight.

"What makes you think they can defeat me?" Dikon's mouth was hard.

"I could defeat you myself. The only reason I have allowed you to live is because you are the only one who can pilot this ship."

Ava glanced at the restraints and let a wry smile cross her face.

"These shackles could not hold me even if I were dying, unless I allowed it."

The ship plunged suddenly, effectively ending their conversation, if only for the moment.

**

Zarah came to a stop and regarded his surroundings very carefully.

"Zarah?" Bra blinked at her cousin's sudden stillness.

"Shhh," Zarah narrowed his blue eyes.

Bra frowned at him.

"What is wrong?" she demanded.

"We've been found out," Zarah took her hand.

"What?"

"It's just a feeling," Zarah started to pull his small cousin down the hallway, "You can fight, right?"

Bra's eyes lit up.

"Yeah, Daddy says it is only proper for the Princess of all Saiyans to know how to fight," Bra smiled.

"Good, then you will be of great assistance," Zarah returned her smile, "You will fight Goten."

Bra cocked her head to the side, curiously.

"Why Goten?"

"Would you rather fight your brother?" Zarah studied the hallway cautiously.

Bra shook her head.

"He is stronger than me."

"That's my point," Zarah darted from doorway to doorway with Bra in tow.

"Oh okay," Bra nodded.

"We just need to get you to your Mom and Trunks wouldn't dare do anything in front of Aunt Bulma."

"Unless I cut you off before you reach my Mom," Trunks appeared in front of them.

Zarah adopted a cold expression most associated with his father as he glanced behind them, not surprised to see Goten blocking off their escape route.

"Why did you tattle on us, Zarah?" Trunks' eyes narrowed as he too mirrored his father.

"Yeah, why would you do that?" Goten adopted a semi-confused and semi-serious look of his dad.

"Trunks Briefs!" Bra stepped forward with all her mother's glory, "If you had shared then I wouldn't have told Mommy. You leave us alone or I'll tell Daddy."

Bra crossed her arms and glared at her sibling in a pose that was as intimidating as it was recognizable.

"I don't won't you Bra, I want our dear cousin," Trunks paled slightly at her words.

"Go get Goten," Zarah whispered.

Bra glowered at her brother for a moment longer when her saiyan blood took over. She twirled around on one foot to face her opponent.

Goten watched her nervously as she took on a loose stance. His mom always told him, he shouldn't hit girls, and now one was going to fight him.

Zarah smiled, he figured that Kakarot's son would have some silly restrictions to his fighting capability. Honestly, his mother was more dangerous than some of the male fighters they knew. She had taught him to fight only to the other's capacity unless death was on the line, it was only dishonorable to fight someone who had no fighting capability.

"Shall we?" A grin crossed his face as he too dropped into a stance.

Trunks couldn't help the grin in response.

"Let's begin."

The four children paused in anticipation waiting for the unknown signal that would begin the fight. A floorboard creaked and they launched into action, proving without a doubt that saiyan blood ran in their veins.

**

"Wait a minute," 18 sat in front of Bardock, "If Vegeta forfeits the crown because Goku became a super saiyan first . . . then does that mean Goku is king?"

"No," Bardock shook his head, a slight frown at his son's alien name.

"I don't understand," 18's brow creased.

"Neither do I. What would have happened if you guys still had a home planet?" 17 sat on the arm of the chair.

"You couldn't understand. Prince Vegeta was foretold to be the next legendary super saiyan so it became a prerequisite that he ascend before he could be crowned," Bardock kept a weary eye on Sasoli who was staring at him intently.

"That's a bit harsh," 17's mouth twisted.

"If we had a planet then the Prince would have been given a set amount of time to train. Either to become a super saiyan as well or surpass Kakarot in sheer power to redeem himself in front of his people. Then they would fight and the winner would be king," Bardock sighed wearily, "though . . . these circumstances were highly unusual."

"Well, that would explain Babidi," 18 quipped.

"Yes, but there wasn't a winner to that fight," 17 pondered.

"You mean they had a rematch?" Bardock found himself on the edge of his seat.

"Yes, but they agreed to stop fighting because Majin Buu had been released," 17 nodded.

"But didn't Vegeta knock Goku out so he could face Buu alone?" 18 tilted her head.

17 nodded.

"Why would he stop a battle like that?" Bardock's frown deepened.

"Well . . . from what I heard, it was kind of Vegeta's fault that Majin Buu was set loose," 17 said almost hesitantly, not really wishing to speak ill of his brother-in-law.

"I see," Bardock was amazed, "this has never happened before."

"What do you mean Bardock?" Sasoli patted his cheek.

"What happened when Kakarot and the Prince met again?" Bardock demanded.

"I believe Goku was about to start fighting Buu when Vegeta appeared to do the same thing," 18 searched her mental files.

"Did they join forces?" Bardock's eyes flickered between 17 and 18.

"Yeah, I think they did," 17 shrugged, "Why is it important?"

"Because that means he made them equal," Bardock smiled.

**

Goku, Gohan, and Krillin paused in their tasks as four power levels rocketed up within the household. Wordlessly Goku put a finger to his forehead and disappeared.

Gohan and Krillin raced to the unknown power levels hoping against hope that the aliens were not striking again for there was one power Gohan recognized and it was his brother.

**

The alien ship settled on an equally alien planet and all was deceptively peaceful.

Dikon clenched his fists.

"You would kill me?" His voice was softly insistent.

"If I had to," Ava lifted her chin.

"Why didn't you before?" Dikon raised his head to search her eyes.

"I thought you had my daughter."

Dikon put his head down in much the same way a bull does before it charges and gores it's helpless victims.

"What makes you think they'll find you?" His voice was a quiet threat.

"I can feel them," she closed her eyes, "They are getting closer as we speak."

Dikon hit a hidden switch causing the remaining shackles to open.

"Let them come," Dikon lifted his eyes to glare at her, "I have released you from your chains but you still remain my prisoner, there is no way off this planet except on this ship which you cannot fly. Kill me if you want, at least I won't have to die as I have spent my life, alone."

Ava could do nothing but watch as Dikon stepped out of the ship.

"17 . . ." Ava whispered not knowing why she whispered as she wrapped her arms around her middle, "I need you."

**

Gohan and Krillin came to an abrupt halt as they found Goku blocking the hallway. Nervously they peeked around the saiyan to see what on Kami's green earth was going on.

What they saw was surprising.

Trunks and Zarah were locked in a fight that at first glance was vicious and brutal but a second, revealed the childish edge that made the battle all but harmless except for maybe the competition in it.

Goten and Bra was another story since you really couldn't call what they were doing fighting. Bra was trying to engage Goten in hand to hand combat but Goten was avoiding her at all costs and she wasn't quite yet skilled enough to make him fight her. Bra seemed angry that Goten wouldn't fight her and was visibly frustrated.

The two Son men stepped forward suddenly to separate the children. Goku took Trunks in one hand and Zarah in another while Gohan grabbed Goten and Bra. All four protested loudly at being interrupted and Bra started to cry making the Son men feel as if they had just ran over their puppy.

"Kids," Krillin smiled and shook his head, "They have such elaborate games."

**

18 blinked.

"Why would he promote Goku?"

17 rolled his eyes.

"Honestly 18, I think you need an upgrade, do we have to spell out everything to you?"

"Well I'm sorry I don't spend my life around saiyans like you do 17," 18 sneered at him.

"Bardock, what's this?" Sasoli reached up and touched the metal on Bardock's temple.

His eyes opened in terror as his vision fuzzed before becoming shockingly clear.

**A small body lay on the ground covered in dirt and as still as a grave. There was no blood . . . but the unnatural position of the body gave away it's state.**

Bardock felt a chill crawl its way up his back as if an icy finger of doom while his vision seemed to zoom in.

**The spiky hair would have given her away instantly . . . as well as her tail . . . but it took her lifeless blue eyes to make it clear exactly who it was. . .**

Bardock blinked as the hand fell away from his temple and the same blue eyes met his head on.

"Why is there metal on your head?" Sasoli eyes were filled with curiously and more importantly life.

End of Chapter Seventeen

AN: ::Crawls out from a pile of homework ten feet high:: Sorry! :: Pants lightly:: But I'm done now. Though testing is coming up . . . ::Pouts:: I'll try to find time to write more, sorry for the delay. Oh and if you haven't already go read _Don't,_ it's the sequel to _You've Got a Way. _Oh and don't forget to review, please. Thanks to all that have reviewed and special thanks to Cat Youkai!


	19. Chapter Eighteen conquered?

****

Chapter Eighteen

17 and 18 became uneasy when Bardock did nothing but stare at Sasoli.

"Bardock?" Sasoli patted his cheek.

17 stepped forward and cautiously lifted his daughter away from the un-responding saiyan. Goku's father or not, 17's first responsibility was to protect his little girl from any possible danger and seeing the older saiyan's eyes go blank concerned him.

18 tensed lightly as 17 took a step away from the unmoving saiyan.

"Bardock?" 

He blinked at them, his eyes focused sharply.

17 and 18 watched him wearily as he stood up, seemingly orienting himself as he left the room.

**

Bardock shut the door with a large crack in it, sealing himself off in the room.

Quick, shallow breathes calmed his heart rate as his vision hit him hard.

The small saiyan Sasoli was going to die in the near future.

Bardock swallowed and closed his eyes, feeling his Adam's apple bob up and down in his throat.

_I should have known better_, Bardock felt himself hardening, _I should know better than to get attached_.

Blue eyes loomed before him and he felt himself soften as many a saiyan before him had fallen. She was the Prince's niece and the closest thing to family he had. She was a saiyan and she needed to live.

_I will protect her_, Bardock nodded to himself, _I will prove myself to the Prince and guard her with my life._

With everything decided he opened his eyes and was mildly startled. He hadn't expected the room to be covered in gore or a dead husk to be on the floor.

"Princess Ava," Bardock muttered recognizing a torture session with a female saiyan in charge, "She must have had fun."

Ignoring the dried blood he sat on it and took another deep breathe. He had to find out more details about her death like where and, possibly, when.

Slowly he lifted his hand to his temple and lightly touched the metal there.

**. . . a swirling darkness filled his mind . . .**

_Nothing?_ Bardock frowned when all he received was darkness, _how am I supposed to save her if I know nothing about her death?_

His mind raced with possibilities about what could have gone wrong. Why couldn't he see anything?

_How can I be so stupid!_ Bardock growled at himself.

Of course visions weren't going to come at his every beck and call. He had no control over his visions and the device from the aliens was handicapping him. If she hadn't touched him, then he would never have known, and she would have died.

On the other hand, he would be just as handicapped if he took the device off.

He had a choice to make.

Did he take the device off or leave it? The choice was his alone.

**

"What is going on?" Bulma stuck her hands on her hips.

The men spun around in surprise was were confronted with the women of the household.

"Goku! Gohan! What are you doing to them?" Chichi demanded as she took in the small unhappy faces.

"Why is Bra crying?" Videl asked, concerned.

With a startled cry, Bulma rushed forward and took her daughter, "Bra? Bra honey, what's wrong?"

"Goten wouldn't play with me," Bra told her mom sadly.

"Goten?" Chichi, Goku, and Gohan all looked at him.

Goten's eyes widened, "I didn't fight her. I would have played with her . . . I . . . You told me not to hit girls . . ."

"Give it up, Goten," Trunks crossed his arms and looked defiant, despite the fact that he was dangling from Goku's hand.

"My sister is not a girl, she's a saiyan."

Bulma's eyes narrowed, "Trunks Briefs, no allowance for two weeks."

Trunks eyes' widened.

"But Mom! Dad always says that girls are just as dangerous as boys when it comes to a fight!"

"True but it helps if the girl knows how to fight," Bulma sighed and rubbed her forehead, "Come on, Bra, let's leave these barbarians to fight in peace.

"Zarah, I'll be sure to tell your parents what happened today," Bulma said over her shoulder as she left the room.

Zarah smiled and shrugged. His mom would applaud his initiative and, at the most, his dad would think it was funny.

"Goten, you are allowed to defend yourself, even if it is a girl who is attacking you," Gohan set his brother on his feet, "Just don't hurt her."

"Ok Gohan," Goten smiled.

Goku set the other two boys down as well, "It's ok to fight girls, I fought your mom."

"Who won?" Zarah looked at the tall saiyan curiously.

"I did," Goku smiled, "If you guys want to spar, do it outside, ok?"

"Oh crap!" Krillin turned and high-tailed it, "I forgot about Maron!"

"Gohan, will you come and sit with me?" Videl smiled at her husband.

"Oh sure," Gohan answered hesitantly, he was very weary about her constant mood swings.

They left the hallway arm in arm.

"Chichi, I'm hungry," Goku announced.

"You're always hungry, Goku, but I guess it is my job to feed you since I'm your wife," Chichi started walking in the direction of the kitchen, "Come on, Goku honey, I don't have all day."

Goku followed her lead.

Trunks, Goten, and Zarah looked at each other baffled at what to do now.

"Outside?" Zarah blue eyes flicked from his cousin to his cousin's best friend.

"Ok!" Goten smiled, "Let's go!"

"Trunks?" Zarah turned to his cousin.

Trunks smirked, "As your dad would say, 'should be fun'."

Zarah laughed, "And your dad would say, 'enough small talk. Let's get down to business'."

"And my dad would say . . ." Goten paused as he tried to think of something, "Let's go!"

The three boys raced to the backyard to continue their play.

**

"How strange," 18 took Sasoli from her brother.

17 said nothing as he stared at the door wondering what had just happened.

"Daddy?"

17 tilted his head in his daughter's direction.

"Yes."

"I'm hungry," she pouted.

17 sighed and took his daughter into his arms.

"Then let's get you something to eat an replenish your energy supply," 17 tickled her.

"Daddy! Stop it!" She squirmed with laughter.

17 was unaware of the gentle expression on his face as he watched his daughter giggle, just as he missed 18 regarding him thoughtfully as he climbed down the ladder into the storage compartment.

18 smiled, _I hadn't thought it possible. She tamed him and kept him wild, she's made him happy._

"Figures," 18 shook her head, "It would take a saiyan."

**

"Bra, let me get this straight," Bulma sighed, "You're upset because Goten wouldn't fight you?"

"Yes," Bra pouted.

"Bra, let me tell you something," Bulma made eye contact with her daughter, "There's more to life than fighting."

"There is?" Bra cocked her head to the side.

"Yes, you know the machines around the house?" Bulma waited until Bra nodded, "Well, Mommy made them."

"You're smart, Mommy."

"You're smart too, Bra."

Bra blinked at her.

"How about I show you around my lab?" Bulma paused hopefully, she wanted at least one of her children interested in machines.

"Ok," Bra beamed at her.

**

Ava panted lightly as she surveyed the damned planet she was on. She had been running for hours as she scouted the mud ball for any possible means of escape, but Dikon had been truthful, the planet was deserted.

The sky was a light purple which reminded her of her nephew but the ground was pink while the vegetation was white. Overall the planet was very stark to be on and made her long for Earth.

With a weary sigh she started her trek to the only ship on the planet and back to him. In all honesty, she had no idea what to do with Dikon, her mother had never foretold the actions to take on the occasion the enemy should fall in love with it's prisoner. For love or some other strong emotion it must be, since he had never been moved to harm her or force her to do anything, if you excluded the kidnapping.

"Did you want something?" Ava turned to look over her shoulder, she may have gotten soft but her instincts were still sharp.

Dikon was startled, how had she noticed him so quickly when he had just spotted her?

Her hard eyes made him nervous suddenly and he said the first thing that came to mind, "You said your partner conquered you?"

"Yes," Ava frowned at his refusal to say mate, partner seemed so temporary to her.

"So he fought and defeated you," Dikon became thoughtful.

"Correct," she crossed her arms unsure of where he was going with this.

A sly smile crossed his face.

"But so have I."

End of Chapter Eighteen

AN: Hey, guess what? Sasoli is being considered as a baby name! O.O! Wow, I never thought that anyone would consider that as a real name. Sasoli is a cross between broccoli and squash if you were interested. ::Smiles:: Thank you, I am honored Cat Youkai. Thanks to all the reviewers, you light up my day with your comments and I am amazed that anyone even likes my story much less enjoys it. Thank you.


	20. Chapter Nineteen Feelings?

****

Chapter Nineteen

Ava paused at his words.

"I have defeated you, Spike, twice and that should cancel out the one time he defeated you," Dikon grinned, he would win this game playing by her rules.

Ava glanced at him from under her lashes, _slimy bastard, he's persistent._

She smiled at him with respect.

"Tsk, tsk," she shook her head at him, "My mate challenged me properly, we both knew what were fighting for, and you were just the enemy. What you wanted was clear from the beginning, you wanted saiyans to boost your reputation. He wanted me, though, he was confused at first," her smile deepened as she remembered his apparent shock when it was revealed that she was not a rival male but the female in question.

He was so damn attractive when he was confused.

"Fine, then I challenge you," Dikon's voice cut through her memory as sharp as a razor on flesh.

She sent him an exasperated look, "Impossible."

"Why?" Dikon grabbed her arm.

"I am a taken female!" She exploded, yanking her arm away from the alien. "He defeated me in battle, a lunafair! I am his!"

Dikon's gaze became calculating as he regarded the irate female in front of him.

"So you're nothing but an object to him."

"What?" The word was startled from her as her eyes widened.

"An object," he repeated blandly, "An inconsequential thing in his life that is there for his convenience."

Dikon watched delighted as her dark eyes shot through with vulnerability. _She is mine,_ but no sooner than the thought had crossed his mind he watched, disappointed, as her eyes hardened against him.

"You will not turn me against him," her voice was quiet, "He wouldn't have given himself to me if that was true."

Her chin lifted and her stance widened slightly as if she were facing an army and was disappointed when she realized that despite their number they would be no match.

"That was unworthy of you," she turned and walked away from him, leaving him alone.

**

"How long is it going to take to reach the planet?" 17 drummed his fingers impatiently on his forearm.

Bardock checked the machine, "Two days at the most."

"Two days?" 17 gritted his teeth.

"Patience, android, your time will come," Bardock was faintly amused with the electronic young man.

"Why so restless?"

17 turned to 18 sharply.

"Where's Sasoli?"

"With her uncle," 18 lifted a brow.

Unnoticed, Bardock's expression darkened at the mention of the girl. _I will have to keep a very close eye on her._

"What's your malfunction?" 18 continued, "It looks like you're about to blow a fuse."

"Imagine your monk was abducted by a seductive alien who is trying to seduce him with all her power," 17's voice was sardonic, "and then you would be in my position."

"Oh get off it," 18 rolled her eyes, "He's not even cute, besides, you have no idea if he's trying to seduce her or not."

"How can you be so sure?" He sneered at her.

Bardock's head snapped up.

"Explain."

The two androids looked at him surprised, they had almost forgotten he was there. The saiyan was such a steady presence, like a rock.

When they continued to just look at him, Bardock growled softly, "Explain what you meant."

"About Ava?" 17 glanced at his sister.

Bardock executed a sharp nod.

"I . . . well, I've been getting feelings--"

18 burst into laughter, "Feelings!"

Bardock glanced at the blond android, "You couldn't understand saiyan connections."

18 blinked at the unexpected scold.

Bardock turned his black eyes to 17, "What kind of feelings?"

17 bit the inside of his cheek," Confusion, anger, agitation, hurt . . . betrayal." The male android paused uncertainly, "You must think I'm crazy . . ."

The comment was more aimed at 18 than Bardock.

"There is nothing implausible when concerning a bond. What are you feeling now?" Bardock frowned in a thoughtful manner.

17 frowned.

"Anger . . . and sympathy . . ."

"He must be playing with her mind as she is with his," Bardock pondered, "Though the betrayal worries me but since she is angry now indicates that she saw through his deception at the last moment."

"Yes, that is why we must get there as soon as possible," 17 agreed.

"So you're saying your getting these feelings from Ava?" 18 crossed her arms in a nervous gesture.

"Where else would they come from?" Bardock smirked, amused that she was related to saiyans but did not know anything about them.

"Yeah, 18, I know you like to think your brother is crazy but that simply isn't the case," 17 mock scolded.

"I never thought you were crazy," 18 shrugged, "just wild. I'm hungry so I'll be in the kitchen if you need me."

17 watched her walk to the ladder and disappear, _Wild?_

**

"You see Bra?" Bulma displayed the insides of complex machine that would give an advanced technician a headache trying to figure it out.

Bra nodded eagerly, "But Mom would it just be easier if you just took the wire thingy and twisted it instead of having a long piece of the thingy."

"What do you mean Bra?" Bulma frowned as she regarded the machine.

"Like this Mommy," Bra reached forward and used her saiyan strength to snap the wire connector in two.

Not noticing her mother's gasp of dismay, Bra used her cubby little fingers to curl the wire and connect it to it's corresponding conduits. Bra turned and looked up at her mother expectantly.

Bulma checked the connections carefully before wearily turning it on. The machine whirled to life without problem, and after a few tests proved to be both faster and better than before.

"Bra!" Bulma smiled radiantly at her daughter, "You're a genius just like your mother!"

Bra giggled as her mom swung her into her arms and tickled her.

"I should let you play in the lab more often," Bulma thought out loud.

"Can I?" Bra's eyes were wide with excitement, the lab was forbidden territory.

"Of course, Bra, just as long as I or your Grandpa is here to keep an eye on you," Bulma put her daughter down, "Now let me show you some of your mommy's secret projects."

"Ok," Bra nodded.

**

"Android?"

"Yes?" 17 turned to face the saiyan and was surprised to find a grim expression on his face.

"This male should never have gotten through to the Princess' defenses. For some reason she is wavering from female protocol, the sympathy you mentioned make me believe she is relating to the bastard. Also, there is the fact that he's after your woman with a passion," Bardock rubbed his forehead, "I have a few questions and it is extremely important that you answer truthfully."

Bardock motioned for the android to take a seat.

17 accepted the offer concerned with the way the he was phrasing things.

"How long have you been bonded?"

"Six years, two months, and 14 days."

"Do you have any other offspring besides the girl?"

"Yes, a boy, Zarah. He's Sasoli's twin."

"Twins?" Bardock blinked.

17 nodded, amused by his reaction.

"You could say it runs in the families. 18 is my twin."

Bardock put the information to the back of his mind, for now.

"How did you two meet?"

"We were hunting the same animal."

"Who killed the animal?"

"I could have but she did in the end," 17 shrugged.

"Why didn't you kill it?" Bardock frowned, "did she know you could have killed it?"

"I was tracking the animal for fun so I didn't see any reason to kill," 17 smiled, "I think she knew since I fired a shot."

"I see," Bardock nodded, "Now, did you participate in the mating ritual?"

"Umm," 17 shifted in his seat, "What does that involve?"

"It involves a lunafair--"

"Yes, we did that," 17 nodded, cutting him off.

"Good, who won?"

"I did."

"Good, then you have nothing to worry about," Bardock nodded, apparently satisfied with 17's answers.

"What do you mean?" 17 tilted his head curiously.

"You are in no danger of losing your mate to this male since she sounds devoted and lost the lunafair. If she had beaten you than we might have had a problem of cross binding or loss of claim," Bardock explained, "Things we do not need when dealing with the alien bum."

"Claim . . ." 17 frowned, "That makes her sound like an object, besides, I gave her a moonstone to make us equals."

"Equals?" Bardock's mouth twitched with amusement, "Why in the seven hells did you do that? Females are insidious enough, you might as well go hunting splavoids blindfolded in drafet territory."

The saiyan boomed with laughter at 17's expense. The android crossed his arms unsure if he was being insulted or not.

"You are braver than some saiyans I knew," Bardock shook his head, "Willingly giving females more power."

"Keeps it interesting," 17 relaxed.

"Indeed," Bardock's expression became serious, "Though when we do catch up with her, it would be a good thing to show dominance."

"That doesn't compute," 17 lifted a brow.

"He means show her who wears the pants in the family, to use a human expression."

Bardock and 17 turned to find Vegeta standing in the doorway with Sasoli on his shoulder.

"Pants?"

"Women used to be forbidden to wear pants," Vegeta lowered Sasoli to the floor, "Is it really necessary?"

Sasoli yawned and crawled into her father's lap.

17 frowned as their meaning sunk in.

"Isn't it? The android has been receiving the Princess' emotions, usually this wouldn't be a problem but he felt betrayal," Bardock shrugged, "She has had more freedom than any before her, and just as we know our place, she needs to be taught hers."

Vegeta's jaw tightened and Bardock met his hard eyes head n, neither backed down nor were willing to give in. The old and the new ideals were clashing and the outcome was decidedly uncertain.

17 remained silent as his gaze slipped to his daughter, who fell asleep, before returning to the two saiyans.

"You shouldn't concern yourselves," 17 stood up with Sasoli snoozing in his arms, "I will do as I see fit with my wife."

Sending a cold stare in each of their directions 17 left the room to lay his daughter down.

**

Maron wondered down the hallway when she heard sounds of fighting. Curious, she headed in the direction of the noise and opened the door to the backyard.

Trunks, Goten, and Zarah were sitting on the grass resting after a vigorous spar.

"What are you doing outside Maron?" Zarah glanced at her over his shoulder.

"I thought I heard fighting," she fidgeted nervously as her cousin by blood sighed.

"We just finished up, Maron, why don't you go back inside," Zarah dismissed her as he turned to Goten.

Maron blinked before sadly turning back to the house when a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

She lifted her eyes hesitantly to meet Trunks'.

"You can stay out here with us if you want to," Trunks smiled.

"Really?" She smiled in return.

"Yeah, it's no big deal."

Zarah and Goten were surprised at Trunks' actions.

"She doesn't fight," Zarah said as if to explain why she should go back into the house.

Goten just looked sad at the possibility, "Why?"

"You don't fight?" Trunks frowned at the girl.

Maron looked down, "No, not really. Mom says I don't have to if I don't want to."

"Hmm," Trunks pondered, "Do you want to?"

She shook her head sending her pigtails swinging.

Trunks nodded, "Well, if you ever change your mind we can teach you, right guys?"

Goten grinned, "Yeah!"

Zarah shrugged.

"Really, Trunks?" Maron looked at him hopefully.

"Yeah, sure. No big deal," Trunks shrugged.

Maron's expression brightened as she nodded and went inside the house.

"What was all that about?" Goten went to Trunks.

"Yeah, she doesn't fight," Zarah repeated in a way that translated to she doesn't like to eat, which, to a saiyan is a horrible crime.

Trunks shrugged, "She seemed sad."

Zarah shrugged bored with the entire conversation and left unnoticed.

Goten tilted his head, "There is something else isn't there?"

"She has pretty hair," Trunks rolled his eyes, "I have only seen that shade of hair on her mom and my grandma."

Goten nodded, "Yeah, like how only your family has blue hair, white purplish hair, and blond hair but only your dad has black hair."

Trunks ran a hand through his lavender hair, "Yeah Goten, rub it in. Hey, are you hungry?"

Goten's eyes lit up, "You bet, Trunks."

Trunks laughed, "I guess I should know better than to ask."

End of Chapter Nineteen

AN: 

::Pushes a neatly stacked pile of tests to the corner of a table. Gets up and takes ten quiet steps away from the table:: I'm free! I'm free!

::An evil voice:: You still have a month of school left.

::Michelle pauses in mid-jump:: Dang it!


	21. Chapter Twenty Freedom?

'...' : Telepathic communication

Chapter Twenty

Dikon was preparing their final meal for the day when he saw Spike sit by the fire to watch him. His thoughts turned dark as his mind turned to his problem.

Spike didn't like him . . . or she did but just not in the way he wanted and if he pulled another stunt like he did today then she wouldn't even like him.

Very frustrating for a male such as he, Dikon usually won female's favor without much effort but it was his craving for home that made him reject him in the end. Now he had found a perfect humanoid and she was taken

_What to do?_ Dikon pondered seriously, _she offered to become allies . . . There must be a way around her partner's claim on her . . ._ Dikon smiled, _If I can't challenge her, maybe I can challenge him._

**

Ava seated herself near the warmth of the fire and contemplated what she was about to do.

Unaware of her captor's thoughts she took a deep breath to prepare her body for the connection. Saiyan's were, of course, slightly telepathic but it took concentration when there was any real distance involved and made the people involved extremely vulnerable to their surroundings.

Ava considered the risks one more time before shrugging them off, Dikon wanted a bride to deal with not a corpse. Besides, she needed to feel her mate's presence . . . hear his voice . . . even if it was only in her mind.

She let her eyes go out of focus and gazed blankly into the blue flames.

'17, where are you?' She reached along the invisible line that would connect them even in death.

'Ava?'

A tentative voice answered, brushing his mind with hers.

'How is Sasoli?' She smiled at the feel of his sudden elation.

'She's sleeping, Ava, are you ok? What is that bastard doing to you? Has he hurt you? I'll kill him, did he feed--'

'17!' Ava interrupted, 'I'm fine. The only thing he has done is feed me.'

She could almost see him narrowing his blue eyes.

'Then why did you feel betrayed?'

Ava blinked in surprise.

'Why are you surprised? I have been able to tell what you feel for a long time.'

She could feel his amusement and concern transmitted along with his words.

'Why didn't you tell me you could feel my emotions?' Ava demanded, feeling a bit put out.

'Why didn't you tell me we could do this mind thingy and why haven't you contacted me before this?'

'I thought you knew,' Ava shrugged, 'besides, it is dangerous to link minds in captivity.'

A pause.

'We need to work on our communication skills.'

'How long until you reach planet side?' Ava changed the topic.

'A couple hours--'

Ava jumped, grabbed the hand on her shoulder, and flipped the owner hard, nearly into the fire.

Dikon groaned and looked up at her, "What was that for?"

"Reflex," Ava shrugged trying to get rid off the sudden nervousness in her belly, "What did you want?"

Dusting himself off, Dikon studied Spike curiously. She had clocked out for several minutes.

"Food's ready."

She nodded before leaving her spot by the fire.

_Should I do it?_ Dikon twisted his lips.

**

"Vegeta!"

Vegeta glanced up in time to see his brother-in-law burst into the room. The android seemed uncharistically excited.

"I just talked to Ava."

_Yes, that would explain the show of emotion._

"Interesting," he nodded, "So I take it she's not being tortured if she felt safe enough to contact you."

17 frowned, puzzled at his words before the android's initial excitement took over, "I guess, whatever, she said she's fine and the only thing he's done to her is give her food. Though, I am a bit concerned, we were cut off."

"Hn," Vegeta answered frowning.

As if disappointed by the saiyan's lack of emotional response 17 slipped from the room to find his sister.

He left Vegeta with his thoughts.

_What enemy is this? He kidnaps but doesn't torture_, Vegeta thought of his niece.

_Yet, he taunts his enemies as if he has the most dire of things planned_, the mocking transmission flashed in the saiyan's mind. The admiration and kiss the alien administered to Ava seemed authentic but led to thoughts of perversity.

_Maybe, that's it_, Vegeta's frown deepened, _Maybe, he was trying to make us think that she was lost and would never be recovered._

Vegeta recalled how Dikon had only faltered when he and 17 stepped forward to announce that they would go to the ends of the universe to retrieve her.

_However, if that's the case, then he's wanted Ava from the beginning . . ._ Vegeta thought grimly, _and he's not going to let go of her easily._

**

Videl strolled through the house looking for her errant husband.

_Honestly_, Videl grumbled to herself,_ Just because I threatened to castrate him doesn't mean he should take me seriously._

Videl paused to rub her temples, trying to ward off an upcoming headache when she spotted him.

The mysterious little boy saiyan that was somehow related to Trunks and Bra. What was his name? Zarka? Zarpha?

He was looking at her curiously but his eyes also held confusion.

It was strange to see her coloring almost exactly duplicated on this boy though his hair was obviously spikier and his eyes were a shade lighter than her blue.

His head tilted slightly and his bangs almost ran into his eyes, "Why do you feel like two people?"

Videl blinked at that.

"I don't know what you mean," she answered after a moment.

His dark brows lowered, "You have two different energies in your body. Why?"

Videl frowned in thought when realization made her smile, "I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant?" The little boy inched closer.

"Yes, I'm going to have a baby," Videl laughed as his expression screwed up quizzically, "There's a baby growing in my stomach."

He looked at her critically, "So you're not just getting fat?"

Videl's mouth dropped open.

"N-no," she stuttered, trying to suppress the sudden surge of anger. _He's just a kid, he doesn't know any better_, she sighed to herself.

She nearly jumped when she felt a small hand on her abdomen.

"Is the baby a girl?" The boy looked up at her.

"Yeah," Videl nodded, startled at the boldness of the small saiyan.

He nodded, "She feels like Sasoli and Bra. She will be a fighter."

Videl felt a chill slid down her spin.

"What makes you say that?"

"She is saiyan, it's in her blood," the kid grinned toothily at her, "or at least that's what my mom says."

Videl couldn't help but return the boy's grin, it was so light-hearted and mischievous, "What's your name?"

"Zarah, yours?"

"Videl."

They studied each other with interest, Zarah was interested in a future sparring partner while Videl wondered what kind of person he would make when he was older.

"Where are you going?" She called out when he walked past her.

Zarah paused, "I smell food."

Videl sighed to herself, "Saiyans . . ."

**

Dikon watched Spike pace restlessly as energy sparked around her. She had such power and yet, she did not touch him.

He found it very encouraging.

_Maybe, I should do it_, he considered, _it'll put her more at ease with me._

Spike started to growl to herself.

_Ok, I'll do it_, Dikon nodded to himself.

"Spike, I release you."

She stiffened and all movement ceased.

"Come again?"

"Your free, I'll take you home when the ship is refueled," Dikon smiled innocently at her suspicious face.

"How long?" The question came out somewhat sarcastic.

"Just another day," Dikon ignored the unspoken accusation, "My ship is special remember. Besides, it will probably be done by the end of the day."

"No tricks?" She lifted a brow.

"None," Dikon's smile widened, _just the one where I steal your heart._

"Your sincere?" Her eyes were narrow.

"Completely," Dikon nodded, _I would never keep you in bondage . . . unless you wanted to be . . ._

Spike studied him when, suddenly, her eyes lit up and she smiled.

"You will make a great ally," she sighed as she turned her face to the sky, "and not a moment too soon."

Curious, Dikon lifted his eyes to the purple atmosphere and paled. A round ship was coming and would soon land. He was going to lose her forever.

**

"Zarah!"

Zarah glanced up to see his cousin Bra gesturing for him to come to her.

"What?" He closed the distance.

"Come here, Mom's showing me her inventions!" Happiness flowed through her voice.

"Her machines?" Zarah's curiosity was peaked.

"Yeah! They're really cool!" Bra grabbed his hand.

**

"All right!" 17 hopped into his seat and snapped his belt in place, "Now the fun begins."

Vegeta lifted a brow at the android before turning to Bardock. The older saiyan seemed tense.

"Something wrong?"

Bardock shook his head.

"Finally," 18 snapped her seat belt shut, "After we kill this bastard we can go home."

"What's wrong?" 17 smirked, "Miss your monk?"

18 glared.

"Just because this is a family outing for you, 17."

17 glared.

"It's not like I paid for them to be kidnapped."

18 shrugged, "Might as well. Would it kill you to take your family out on the town?"

"Maybe," 17's eyes narrowed, "Ava's not one for casual flirting, unlike your monk."

18's mouth dropped open before snapping shut.

"What are you trying to--"

"SHUT UP!!"

17 and 18 jumped and turned their attention to the saiyans.

"Children!" Vegeta growled, "Can we land now or do you want to finish your meaningless squabble?"

They nodded almost sheepishly.

Bardock didn't hear any of this, instead he was watching the alien planet with a growing sense of dread. _This planet . . . the vegetation is an exact replica from my vision . . . where the girl died . . ._

"Where's the girl?"

17 glanced up, "She's still sleeping. She must have been exhausted."

_Let's hope she stays that way_, Bardock thought grimly, _because I have a feeling this is the planet she is going to die on . . . unless I can save her . . ._

**

Bulma sighed to herself as she removed her magnifying glasses, and glanced up.

She gasped at the sight of Bra explaining a complex machine to her cousin. What was astonishing was the fact that he was nodding with understanding and asking intelligent questions for one so young.

"Zarah."

Their eyes shot up filled guilt and disappointment.

"Mama, don't be mad . . . I was just showing him how it worked," Bra pouted.

"I didn't touch anything, Aunt Bulma, I . . . I'll leave," Zarah bowed his head upset that she was mad at him.

"No," Bulma stopped him, "Zarah, you don't have to leave, in fact, you and Bra can play with anything you want in here ok. Except for my inventions."

"Really, mama," Bra smiled.

"Yeah, why not? But anything you invent goes into the company, deal?" Bulma raised a brow, first and last, she was a businesswoman.

"Ok," Zarah nodded.

"Yeah!" Bra grinned.

Bulma smiled at their enthusiasm, she was in a win win situation. If they did invent something it could be extremely valuable to the company's prosperity and if not, then at least they're out of trouble with a healthy interest in electronics.

"All right, it's a deal," Bulma nodded, "You work for me now."

"What do we do first?" Zarah tilted his head with wide-eyed excitement.

"Well," Bulma mused to herself, "I guess you guys could come up with a list of ideas. After all, sometimes the idea is harder to come up with than the actual building."

"Let's go Bra!" Zarah grinned at his smaller cousin who returned the gesture.

"This is going to be fun!" Bra bounced happily, a trait learned from her grandmother.

Bulma watched the kids run off nearly bouncing off the walls with excess energy.

_Yes, this was a good idea_, Bulma looked at her list she had made when she was a little girl with fondness, _and the Briefs tradition passes onto another generation._

End of Chapter Twenty

AN: Sorry, guys . . . ::Bows head in shame:: I have been slacking in my writing and just started up again now that the homework load lightened suddenly. Thanks for all your support! It means a lot to me to know that you guys don't hate me for my lapses! Let me know what you think!


	22. Chapter TwentyOne Stop?

****

Chapter Twenty-One

Ava felt a grin cross her face as the ship entered the planet's atmosphere, _Soon. . . 17. . ._

"Just let me do the talking," Ava instructed, "I'll make sure they won't kill you."

Ava glanced at the silent male briefly. He could have been a tree he was moving so much.

Dikon couldn't believe his luck.

He was finally making some progress and then they have to come and ruin everything. Damn them all . . . except for Blue . . .

"Come, I'll introduce you," Ava turned to walk away when she was stopped.

"What are you doing?" She frowned at the fingers around her arm to the their owner.

_She isn't struggling_, Dikon thought absently as he ignored her question to watch the round ship land, _I guess that's a good sign._

His thoughts were interrupted when a pair of angry black eyes entered his line of vision.

"I thought you released," her voice was deadly soft.

Gods, he was never going to be able to let her go . . .

"I did," Dikon tightened his fingers on her arm, "But they don't know that."

"Dikon--" Her words were cut off as her other arm was grabbed.

"Release her," a deadly quiet voice ordered as a blast exploded in Dikon's face.

**

Goku was pouting.

Chichi sighed, "What's wrong Goku, honey?"

"I want to be with them," was his swift reply.

Chichi frowned, she knew who 'them' was, honestly would it kill him to stay out of an adventure or two? Still, it was in his blood . . . and he passed that blood to his children.

"Chichi?" Goku's eyes widened as she sat in his lap.

She wrapped her arms around him and set her head on the inside of his shoulder.

"Chichi, what's wrong?" Came his gentle voice, and after a moment his arms circled her.

A wry smile crossed her face, "You can go."

"Go where?"

"Go join Vegeta to get Sasoli. Go find out if your father is alive. Go," Chichi sighed, loving the feel of her husband in her arms.

Goku pulled her away from his body so he could look into her eyes.

"You mean it, Chichi?" Goku's eyes danced in excitement.

"Yes, after all what is a wife to do but make sure her husband is happy," Chichi rolled her eyes.

"Thanks Chichi!" Goku gave her a bear hug and kissed her.

Chichi savored the kiss, it was a rare occasion when her husband was openly affectionate.

Then, his grip changed, the kiss deepened, and her heart skipped a beat.

"Goku?" Chichi blushed when he released her lips.

Krillin wandered into the kitchen in search of something to give to Maron. He glanced around the kitchen confused. He could have sworn he heard voices, Goku and Chichi's to be exact.

He was the only one in the room.

Krillin shrugged and started digging in the refrigerator.

**

17 wasn't happy.

As soon as the hatch slid open he had taken off, ignoring his brother-in-law's voice, and zoomed in on his wife.

And what did he find? He found her with the bastard's hand on her!

"Release her," 17 demanded softly, feeling his mischievousness falling away and for once being thankful for being what he was, a machine made to kill.

With one smooth motion he blasted the vermin away from his wife. Dikon went flying head over heels but soon was on his feet.

17 locked eyes with the green-eyed monster and wasn't surprised when the fighter glared back at him.

"17 . . ."

17 flicked his eyes at Ava to find a pleading and angry expression. She seemed unharmed.

"I challenge you saiyan," Dikon announced arrogantly, "I challenge you for her."

17's eyes narrowed as he pulled his wife behind him. He assumed the alien was talking to him.

"No, you can't! You don't realize what you've done," Ava hissed at him before turning to 17, "Don't accept."

17 said nothing but glared at Dikon.

"He has to."

Ava spun to find the rest of their group had caught up with them. She turned back to her mate to find him and Dikon completely absorbed in each other.

"An issued challenge must be accepted," Vegeta continued, "or else he loses all claims."

"We're bonded," Ava shot back, "Such rules do not apply."

"Not if it's a fight to the death," Bardock's jaw tightened, displeased with the way she was trying to twist the situation.

"It's saiyan law."

"What do you know of saiyan law! Kakarot!" Ava snapped at him before gasping, "You're not Kakarot . . ."

18 watched Bardock eye Ava coldly.

"No, I am his father, Bardock, and even more well-versed in saiyan law than you and your brother combined, Princess Ava."

Bardock lowered his head in respect, "Peace is the goal when we fight . . ."

Ava swallowed, knowing she was being tested, and answered woodenly as she lowered her head, "And yet it is the fight that we love and live for . . ."

Bardock nodded his approval.

Vegeta glanced at his android relation, surprised that he had not yet torn Dikon's head off. Still, Vegeta noticed, the android was nearly vibrating with rage.

"You dare challenge me . . ." 17's voice could have been liquid ice pouring into their veins, "You kidnap my daughter, abduct my wife, and then you dare to challenge me for her . . . I'll kill you where you stand."

"17! No!" Ava turned to her brother, "Vegeta, stop this!"

"Why the change of heart?" Vegeta kept his eyes on the potential explosion in front of him, "You know we cannot act. The challenge binds us against doing so."

"He's us, Vegeta. Instead of Frieza he had Cooler," Ava explained, "We would be in the same position had we escaped Frieza instead of being enslaved by him. Would you not have stolen Bulma had you found her married to the scarred human?"

"You'll kill me? I defeated your partner and I will kill you," Dikon sneered.

18 swung to Ava, "What the hell does that mean? Are you going to switch my brother for him?!"

"No, he is mine," Ava snarled, "He was mine since I decided he was worthy!"

"I am not my wife," 17 grinned, "You're as good as dead."

"You don't understand," Ava turned away from the female android to face her brother.

"You can stop this, the Prince of all saiyans has final say."

"He kidnapped you and your daughter," 18 snapped at her, enraged that Ava was trying to save him.

"In another lifetime you killed us all," Ava's eyes flashed blue, "Should we put you to death as well?"

"A puny thing like you," Dikon slipped into a stance, "You would think a saiyan would be at top condition with a partner such as her."

Bardock was lost in his own world despite being surrounded by chaos, desperately trying not to be sucked in. This was definitely the planet but how? How would she die? More importantly, how would he save her?

"I will not be fought over!" Ava screamed as launched herself toward Dikon, "I'll kill him myself."

She didn't care anymore . . . she'd kill him for nearly driving her insane . . . Her hair flashed blond before staying that way. She'd kill him for trying to become between her and her mate . . . for putting her at odds with her family . . . All crimes punishable by death on planet Vegeta . . .

17 nearly yanked her off her feet when he grabbed her without looking away from his opponent.

"He challenged me, not you," 17 made her face him though he never looked away from Dikon, "I'll kill him for you."

"17 . . ." Ava pulled his face down to hers, "He let me go."

17 looked at her fully.

"Ava . . ." A hand caressed her cheek as a chuckle hit her ears, "You were about to kill him yourself."

His blue eyes were filled with amusement, warmth, and love. Ava closed her eyes and leaned into his touch.

"I just want to go home . . ."

"In a minute."

**

Sasoli yawned and rolled over the bed. She sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Daddy?"

The room was empty.

Sasoli frowned and left the room.

"Daddy?"

There was no response.

Her stomach growled. She peeked down the stairwell.

"Uncle Vegeta? Aunt 18?" After a moment's thought, "Bardock?"

Sasoli scanned the room confused, _Where did everyone go?_

"The hatch is open," Sasoli said to herself, "Hmmm . . . maybe they went outside . . ."

She smiled, _I should tell daddy that we need to take more trips! Zarah's going to be so jealous!_

**

Dikon's jaw clenched as his rival pushed Spike behind him. [Bastard! touching her!]

What really pissed Dikon off was how she responded to her partner, leaning into his touch . . . like she . . . loved him . . .

"What is your name?" Dikon demanded.

Blue eyes met his and he almost shuddered, _no life . . . but how is that possible . . .? There was life a minute ago . . . when he looked at her . . ._

"17," The male now named started towards him, "Not that it matters much."

_17? That means she was telling the truth but . . . why is he a number?_ Dikon tensed, and pulled his strange power to the edge of his skin.

This 17 was powerful, the ki blast merely a warning to get off his partner. Dikon had a feeling that despite 17's size, he had strength enough to spare. This would be the biggest fight of his life.

**

17 paused three feet from the alien who looked ready to spring at the drop of a hat.

"You asked a question now I want you to answer one," 17 slipped into a stance, "Why my family? Why my wife?"

Dikon shrugged, "First saiyan family I came across, as far as your partner, I have never seen a more perfect humanoid."

"I see, enough talk."

"Agreed."

The two males launched into action. 17's fist landed before Dikon could even complete the swing. He went flying but managed to twist in midair, changing his directory, and landed on his feet only to have to dive out of the way of 17's huge ki blast.

_He's fast_, Dikon winced as he hit the ground hard, _I need to slow him down._

Dikon let his power flow through his skin.

_What is he doing?_ 17 charged him and threw a punch almost curiously, _surely this isn't all the power he has to offer? How . . . pathetic . . ._

Dikon grunted as the saiyan's fist skinned his cheek as he managed to duck under the fast bastard and barrel into 17's body. Using momentum and contact Dikon let his power run full force.

17 frowned as he stared at Dikon. The man was hugging him.

_Why is nothing happening?_ Dikon frowned, _I can feel . . . a power . . . but why can't I tap into it?_

The saiyans frowned.

"17! Kill him already!" 18 shouted bored.

"What are you doing?" 17 couldn't help but ask the strange person.

"I'm not into guys," he added helpfully.

Dikon released 17's torso unhappy with the entire situation, "Neither am I."

Dikon hit 17 with all his strength and was surprised when the saiyan just let it hit him in the cheek.

"Is that really all you have?" 17 asked sounding disappointed.

Dikon bared his teeth and thrust all of his power into his fist. He grinned as he felt the saiyan's power shifting toward his flesh.

"What--" 17 frowned as he his circuits reversed their flow.

**

Ava watched in horror as 17 and Dikon were engulfed in a strange ball of light. They screamed in pain in second that lasted eternity before they were launched away from each other violently as oil and water.

Both men hit the ground and didn't move.

Unable to help herself she took a step toward her mate.

"Ava," the quiet voice of her brother stopped her.

"17!" 18 cried out with all the anguish Ava was feeling, and shot forward to aid her brother.

"No! Let go of me!" She screamed as the Prince of all saiyans restrained her.

"It's not over," was his reply.

**

Sasoli climbed out of the eating area and started toward the open hatch, "I'm coming, Daddy."

She blinked at the harsh outside light to see everyone with their backs to her. They were looking at something. Being a naturally curious saiyan she decided to see what they found so interesting . . .

End of Chapter Twenty-One

AN: Tell me if you like!


	23. Chapter TwentyTwo Dead?

****

Chapter Twenty-Two

17 groaned as he turned on his side, _What happened? It's like I was struck with lightening . . . again._

The android chuckled weakly, he didn't like being hit with lightening. The bastard was going to pay.

Dikon coughed, jarring his scorched feeling lungs, and was surprised he didn't see smoke.

_I don't get it . . . _Dikon thought blearily, _That hasn't happened since I tried to take energy from a machine . . . a machine!_

Dikon shot to his feet despite the protests from his body. He watched his opponent get to his feet slowly and noted the almost perfect symmetry of the male's body as well as the ageless face.

"You're a machine . . ." Dikon stated with shock.

17 shook his head trying to clear his vision, "Yeah, I know."

Dikon's eyes shot to Ava, the question was obvious.

A reluctant smile crossed her face as she shrugged, "He's cute."

17 grinned her, "I love you too."

"Cute?" Dikon was perplexed, "How can you be a machine, saiyan?"

"Who said I was a saiyan? I'm human . . . android." 17 finally got his head to stop ringing, "What did you do to me?"

Dikon blinked, "I tried to take your energy . . . but it doesn't work with machines . . . there's a feedback . . . "

He trailed off uncertainly as he glanced at the people around him. Just what exactly had he gotten himself into here?

"Is that a fact?" 17 lowered his head, "Besides that power you're nothing and I'm tired of playing with you."

**

Bardock felt a chill of awareness, he was being watched. He glanced up in the sky and wasn't surprised to see a vague outline of a ship before it disappeared.

He frowned as he moved back toward the ship, his eyes on the sky.

_Who is--_

Bardock's thoughts were interrupted as he felt a small body push past him. He almost ignored it when he realized exactly who the owner of the body was, Sasoli.

He whipped around and, sure enough, the little saiyan was running toward the two warring males.

A quick glance revealed Prince Vegeta focusing on restraining the female android from escape as she was determined to break his hold.

The Princess was oblivious to her upcoming offspring, her entire attention on her mate.

With sudden awful clarity Bardock knew what was going to happen and he knew he had to move . . .

**

"Playing?" Dikon sneered, "No one is that strong."

"You would be surprised," 17 laughed and struck Dikon to the ground.

Dikon hit the dirt with a solid thud on his back and watched almost calmly as 17 moved to finish him with the edge of a hand.

**

"Be careful, Goku," Chichi gave him a final kiss.

"Bye, Chichi," Goku put a finger to his forehead.

He located the kis he had been keeping track off since take off and he disappeared.

**

Ava jumped as Goku appeared next to her.

"Hey, Ava!" The male saiyan grinned at her.

Ava twisted her body to face him, "Kakarot! What are you doing here?"

"Chichi said I could come! What's going on?"

Ava's brow wrinkled, _why should he need permission to join a battle?_

"17's going to kill Dikon and we're going home," Ava turned back to the fight.

Her heart stopped and her eyes widened in horror, "Sasoli!"

**

Bardock watched with disbelief as someone appeared next to the princess making her turn away from the girl.

_I have to get there faster!_ He thought desperately as he dove for her foot, _gods, please let me change it! She's so damn fast . . ._

**

"Die," 17 put most of his strength into his descending hand.

"Sasoli!" Ava's voice rent the air simultaneously.

"Daddy!" Sasoli jumped between 17's hand and Dikon's heart.

_Oh my god, I'm going to hit her . . ._ flashed in his mind as he tried to avert it to no avail. She was too close and he had put too much power into it.

Time slowed to a mere crawl and the scene became etched painfully clear in 17's mind.

Instead of hitting Dikon's black heart he was going to hit his baby girl's. He couldn't stop.

_I can't stop . . ._

She was looking at him so trustfully.

Then the impossible happened.

With his hand two eyelashes away from Sasoli's breast plate her momentum changed, she went backwards . . . Her eyes showed surprise and then pain as his hand hit her collarbone.

The crunch was loud in everyone's ears.

Time returned to normal as Sasoli's small body was sent spinning away before she landed with a sickening thud.

Silence had never been so loud.

17 blinked as he turned to see Bardock. He had Sasoli's shoe in his hand. It dawned on the android that Bardock was the one who had pulled Sasoli . . . Sasoli . . .

"Sasoli!" Ava appeared at her daughter's side afraid to touch her.

Goku knelt beside her as well.

17 looked at his hands in disbelief, _I almost killed her . . ._

He barely noticed when Dikon shoved past him but snapped to attention when Ava demanded, "What are you doing with her?"

17 turned to find Dikon surrounded by his comrades. The android's mind sharpened and shock dissipated as he realized one important fact: The bastard had Sasoli.

**

Goku kept a very close eye on . . .

"Dikon put her down!" Ava flashed super saiyan, her threat obvious.

. . . Dikon. Goku frowned, remembering how the energy-sucking alien had put a hand on his and Ava's shoulder using that strange power of his, like the Android 19 and 20. Out of reflex the saiyans had rolled away from Dikon inadvertently giving him plenty of time to scoop Sasoli up.

Goku glanced around the circle they had formed to see Vegeta, Ava, and . . . Dikon was blocking the third person from view but Goku could hear them growling threateningly at Dikon. While 18 and himself watched the alien coolly, waiting for him to make a mistake, as for Dikon, he wore a determined expression as he held a crying Sasoli.

"It hurts," at Sasoli's whimper Vegeta soared to super saiyan.

Goku was somewhat confused, Dikon didn't look like he was going to hurt her.

"I'm not going to hurt Blue," Dikon flicked his eyes at everyone nervously.

"Her name is SASOLI!" 17 appeared in the circle, "PUT HER DOWN!"

Power swirled around everyone angrily.

Dikon paled, "Sasoli, don't worry it'll be over soon . . ."

With those words Dikon's eyes rolled back into his head and collapsed with Sasoli in his arms.

They didn't move.

Ava snatched her daughter into her arms, "Sasoli?"

The question urgent.

17 placed a hand on Sasoli's cheek, "Baby?"

For one agonizing moment their daughter didn't respond.

"Mmm," Sasoli murmured as she opened her eyes, "Daddy, you play too hard."

"I . . . I'm sorry, Sas," 17 glanced at her shoulder, "Are you hurt?"

Sasoli blinked and touched her bone, "No. Where's Dikon? I saw you playing and . . ."

17 yanked her into his arms and clutched her tightly.

"Don't do that ever again, Sasoli, sometimes fighting isn't a game."

"Ok, Daddy."

Ava sighed relieved.

"Is he dead?"

The small family turned to see Vegeta talking to Bardock who was leaning over Dikon's body with Goku.

"No, unconscious," Bardock frowned at the body, "What did he do?"

"It looks like he poured all his energy into Sasoli in order to heal her," Goku smiled and raised his eyes at the exact same time Bardock did.

The two saiyans stared at each other with shock. It was like looking into a mirror only the image was both young and old, scarred and unblemished.

"Kakarot, this is Bardock," Vegeta's voice was faintly amused, "Bardock, this is your son Kakarot."

**

A lone ship circled the planet and the ship's owner wasn't happy. He had tapped into Dikon's ship and was listening to the events occurring on planet side.

"Damn it! Dikon was defeated! Some partner he turned out to be!" An angry voice snarled, "How will I get the blond now?"

A sinister smile curled the male's lips.

"I guess I will just have to get her myself."

**

_My son . . ._ Bardock blinked at Goku.

"Dad . . . ?" Goku asked softly as his eyes devoured Bardock's face.

"Dad!" A grin split the saiyan's face as he dove over Dikon's unconscious body and lifted the older saiyan off his feet in a bear hug.

"I knew it! I felt you! I--"

"Kakarot!" Bardock grimaced uncomfortably, "put me down!"

"Huh?" Goku glanced at his father's uneasy look, "Oh! Sorry, I guess I got carried away."

Goku set his father down on the ground and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

**

Vegeta watched Kakarot's family reunion with something akin to envy.

Hearing a sigh, Vegeta glanced to his side to find the blond android eyeing his sister's family.

"I'm ready to go home. How about you, Vegeta?" 18 asked, not looking at him.

"Hn," he agreed, it was time to return to their own families.

They stood next to each other in silence, lost in thought when 18 broke the silence.

"What are we going to do with the stiff? Kill him?" The question came out flat and uncaring.

Vegeta chuckled, "I could almost think you were saiyan . . . but no, we can't. The challenge still stands though it is on hold."

"Vegeta," 18 locked eyes with him, "17 would have won."

Vegeta shrugged, "Doesn't matter, it would be dishonorable to kill him in this state after he helped Sasoli."

"True, I guess," 18 sighed again turning to Goku, "Hey Goku!"

"Just wait until you meet Gohan!" Goku's excited voice floated to them.

"Kakarot!"

"And . . . What Vegeta?" Goku glanced at Vegeta missing his father's sudden lack of color.

Sure, Bardock could understand 17 and 18 not using the Prince's title but his own son!

"Kakarot, use that instant thing to take us home and then you can babble Bardock's ears off," Vegeta ordered absently.

Bardock watched his son nod with an enthusiastic, "Sure Vegeta!"

_Strange, he didn't even notice the lack of title_, Bardock shook his head with bemusement as he thought of his crew, _I wish you guys were here to see this . . ._

"Who wants to go first?" Goku smiled.

"Take Ava, the androids, and Sasoli first," Vegeta directed, "I need to capsulate our ship then tap into Dikon's ship, and send it to earth."

"Ok," Goku placed a hand on 17's shoulder while the android held his family close to him.

18 rolled her eyes and placed her hand on her brother's other shoulder.

Goku put a hand to his forehead and they all disappeared.

**

A shapely woman opened the door to Capsule Corp. The guards on the ground did nothing to prevent this woman from entering the property and had even went so far as to open the gate for her.

Had they looked closely they would have noticed that despite her blue eyes and hair, this woman was not Bulma Briefs.

"Krillin?" A pouty voice called, "Where are you Krillin? I'm bored and no one could ever make me laugh like you, Krillin."

Her name was Marron.

End of Chapter Twenty-Two

AN: Ah ha! I'm on time! Thank you for all your support and extra love to anyone who can guess what's going to happen! Review!


	24. Chapter TwentyThree Bulma?

****

Chapter Twenty-Three

Krillin jumped as four people blinked into existence in front of him and Maron.

Goku was gone the next second.

"Mommy!" Maron ran to 18 who picked her up.

17 nodded in Krillin's direction as he ushered his family from the room. He could tell that 18 wanted to be alone with her monk for awhile. Besides, he wanted to find Zarah and lock them in a room together. 17 wasn't sure if he would be comfortable with them out of his sight ever again.

"Hey Babe!" Krillin grinned at his wife, "How did everything go?"

"It was a nightmare," 18 wrinkled her nose, "Remind me never to go anywhere with 17 again."

"Sure," Krillin laughed.

18 smiled faintly, it was finally over.

**

"Where . . . did they go?" Bardock was looking at the empty space his son had occupied.

"To earth," Vegeta answered, "It's a technique he has, like I said you can talk later."

Vegeta walked up to the Capsule ship and pushed the button.

"You have proven yourself, Bardock, you will be allowed to live."

Vegeta picked up the now capsulated ship to Bardock's amazement.

"What did you do to the ship?"

"My mate's technology," Vegeta smirked at Bardock, "She is a genius on her planet."

Bardock nodded, "And on many other planets as well I would gather. How is this done?"

"How is what done?" Goku asked them curiously as he popped in out of nowhere.

"Kakarot," Bardock tilted his head at him, "You must explain this technique to me."

"Ok! No problem," Goku grinned.

"Later, take us home first," Vegeta scowled.

"Where is earth?" Bardock frowned.

"You would know it as the only inhabitable planet in the blue solar system," Vegeta quipped as he picked up Dikon's ship.

He had decided that the fastest way to handle the foreign vessel was to just take it to earth since capulizing was out of the question, at least for now. Bulma would have to do tests and such on the metals for it to work properly but she wasn't here to do it, so instant thing it was.

"Let's go, Kakarot," Vegeta allowed Goku to put a hand on his shoulder.

Vegeta stepped on Dikon's arm to ensue the alien's journey with them.

"Bardock, put your hand on your son's shoulder unless you want to be stranded on this idiotic planet."

Bardock complied, and the four disappeared.

**

"They're gone!" An irate figure exploded with fury, "What the hell happened? They just vanished!"

He ran a scan of the planet searching for any life signs and found none.

"Well, at least I know where they're went," angry fingers tapped in new coordinates, "the blue solar system. Why would a beauty like her live in such a primitive world?"

**

Marron glanced at her surroundings with interest, she had never been in such a high class place before. She had been to expensive places like hotel rooms and restaurants but nothing like this place.

She ran her fingers along the couch and noted the fine texture of the material, she could get used to living here, yes she could.

Her search for Krillin forgotten she glanced at the pictures adorning the walls. She absently noticed that they were mostly kids in group pictures or older coupled dressed boringly in conservative clothing.

A squeal of delight escaped her when her vacuous blue eyes latched onto a different picture, unique from the rest.

Whereas the other photographs were done professionally this one had to be a snap shot. The slight blurring accounted to the fact that the subjects had been moving and unaware of the person with the camera.

Still, despite the slight blurring the picture was almost artfully taken but that didn't matter to Marron in the least, what had caught her attention was the two dark males in it.

One wore a complete spandex bodysuit while the other wore an orange jumpsuit and both were on the verge of killing the other, at least that was it looked like to her.

In actuality, they were just beginning a sparring session when Bulma had snuck up on them.

Marron studied the males with an experienced eye and declared them both really cute when two hands planted themselves on either side of her on the wall.

**

Vegeta dropped Dikon's ship next to his gravity room, figuring that no one would notice it.

"Come on," Goku grabbed his father's arm, "I want you to meet Chichi!"

"Chichi? But . . . isn't that . . ." Bardock's voice faded as he was pulled into the complex.

"Vegeta?" A giggly voice sounded behind him, "You're back!"

Vegeta stiffened as his mother-in-law attached herself to his arm.

_Kakarot must have latched onto her energy when he instant thinged us here_, Vegeta growled to himself.

"Did you just get here? Who was that with Goku dear?"

"That was Kakarot's father, Bardock," Vegeta informed her, sensing a quick way to escape.

"His father," she smiled, "Why that means I have more guests I should offer the man some tea and cakes. Vegeta dear, do you think he will like some cakes?"

She glanced at him imploringly.

Vegeta nodded quickly, "He would like nothing more, in fact, I don't think he's ever had cakes before."

"Oh my," she shook her head, "We'll just have to remedy this situation."

_We?_

"No, I must find Bulma," Vegeta supplied quickly.

"Oh of course, dear," she patted his arm before letting go of him, "I understand. I must go to the shops and buy some cakes, I'll be back soon dear."

She giggled as she nearly floated to the car. She was a strange woman.

Giving a small sigh of relief, Vegeta entered the house as well and, true to his word, went to look for his mate. But not before he threw Dikon into a random room, it was a mere coincidence that the alien landed on the bed.

**

Bulma glanced up as Zarah's head snapped up.

"They're back!" He grinned before dashing out the door.

"Whose back?" Bulma frowned at her daughter.

"Aunt Ava and Sasoli," Bra smiled suddenly, "Daddy's back with Goku!"

"Really," Bulma grinned, "Let's go find them."

They left the lab and entered the family room.

Bulma stopped in her tracks at the sight before her while Bra continued to the hallway oblivious.

"Vegeta," She said his name in a very soft and dangerous voice.

**

Goku pulled his father into the kitchen and found his wife sitting at the table with a cup of tea.

"Chichi, this is my dad," Goku released the older saiyan's arm, "This is my wife."

Bardock studied the female as she stood up to greet him warily. She had a watchfulness and a no nonsense ness about her she as stopped at her mate's side.

"See, Chichi, I told you he was alive," Goku paused, "I have to find Gohan and Goten!"

He left the room.

Chichi stared at her husband's father, it was obvious where Goku had gotten his looks. Still, there was a hardness around his features that her Goku did not contain. She stood her ground as the saiyan closed the distance between them. _I will not be intimidated._

"You resemble a saiyan enough," Bardock mused aloud, "but are you worthy of a saiyan warrior?"

Chichi's eyes narrowed, "You may be Goku's father--"

"Goku?" Bardock's eye's narrowed, "His name is Kakarot."

"He is Goku to me," Chichi's voice hardened to the consistency of steel, "I am his wife and mother to his children whether you like it or not."

Chichi snatched the frying pan from the stove and hefted it threatening at him.

Bardock lifted a brow at her weapon.

"And if I should object to your union?"

Chichi glared at him.

"You would only hurt your own son."

Bardock let a cold smile cross his face, "What does that matter?"

Chichi gasped and, properly outraged, brought down the frying pan with all her wrath.

Bardock caught her wrist and then her hand when she tried to punch him. He also blocked her attempts to kick him in several sensitive places. Slowly, he twisted her wrist in order to force her to relinquish the pan. When it hit the floor, Bardock surprised her by falling to one knee while taking her hands to his forehead.

Stunned, she stopped trying to hit him and listened when he started to speak.

"You have proven worthy. I pledge allegiance to all of your house, your enemies and your allies will be mine. I will forfeit my life before you will even have to endanger yours in battle. You have my word, I, Bardock, the son of Asper son of Kakarot of third class swear fealty."

Chichi was speechless.

Bardock let go of her hands and returned to his feet.

"I . . . don't know what to say . . ." Chichi smiled weakly.

Bardock's lips twitched with amusement.

**

Vegeta paused in his stride when he spotted a head of blue hair.

_There she is_, Vegeta smirked as he snuck up behind her, _sentimental woman, always looking at pictures._

Quickly planting his hand on either side of her to keep her from escaping, he leaned over her to speak in her ear.

"Did you miss me?"

The woman was silent.

"Bulma?"

"Vegeta."

Vegeta's brow creased. Why was Bulma's voice coming from behind him when she was right in front of him? Why did she sound mad?

The woman within the circle of his arms turned and the saiyan's eyes widened slightly. She had the exact same coloring as Bulma but-

"You're not Bulma," he stated out loud as he moved away from the look-alike.

He glanced in the direction the voice had come from to find his mate red in the face.

"Bulma?" Vegeta's gaze went back and forth between the two females.

Bulma's expression softened softly when she saw the confusion in her husbands eyes. He hadn't been hitting on another woman intentionally. Her anger increased and refocused on her new target: Marron.

Bulma would be able to recognize her anywhere.

The genius's fists tightened suddenly and she came very close to exploding as Marron did the one thing she shouldn't, hit on Vegeta.

Marron attached herself to Vegeta's arm in an effort to gain his attention. "You're cute! Let's go out," the smile that crossed her lips promised dark delights.

Vegeta wasn't sure if he was more disgusted or sickened by the woman's offer.

"Remove yourself," Vegeta growled at her.

She pouted.

"That's not very nice," she tilted her head back to expose her throat.

"I'll show you not nice!" Bulma charged forward.

**

Dikon groaned as he found himself lying on something soft. He opened his eyes to reveal a room of sorts.

"What happened?" He grumbled to himself as he clutched his head.

Wincing, he forced himself to his feet and out the door. He had to find out what was going on, the last thing he remembered was being on . . . planet 627?

Yes, that was right he had been refueling with Spike when her companions had come . . . and then Blue . . . no Sasoli . . .

Dikon swallowed, he had taken a terrible risk in trying to heal the girl and he would do it again in a second but that wasn't the problem, what he wanted to know was if it worked!

_Where am I?_ Dikon glanced around not familiar with anything.

A scream ripped through the air.

"Sasoli?" Dikon followed the scream to its source only he didn't find a small saiyan girl.

A blue hair woman cowered behind a chair as another one was being restrained by the Saiyan Prince. An amused Prince, at that.

"Hitting on my husband, you bitch!" The woman struggled for freedom.

The other whimpered in fear. She searched for a means of escape and spotted him in the doorway.

Making a mad dash, the woman threw herself on him, and clung to him desperately.

"Save me!" She pleaded, lifting huge tear filled eyes to him.

Dikon's heart skipped a beat. This female creature was clinging to him for help and he wanted to.

He glanced up to see that the irate woman had stopped her struggles though the saiyan prince was now frowning at him. He lowered his own brow and hugged the woman to him closer.

She tucked her head into his shoulder.

Dikon felt empowered by this and met the Prince's eyes head on.

"Change your mind about fighting to the death?" Vegeta pushed Bulma behind him.

"Whose wife is he trying to take now?" 17's sarcastic voice came from behind the bounty hunter.

Dikon swallowed as he forced the woman from him, "Are you attached?"

Marron felt the strength in his hands as he gripped her upper arms and her heart started pounding, she had always liked a strong man.

"No," she whispered in her perfected breathless tone.

He had beautiful green eyes, she noticed with a smile.

Ava watched the situation with a brow raised. What was one to do when the male who had been obsessed with you drops you as soon as he sets his eyes on another woman?

"Who is that?" She grumbled.

17 glanced at her curiously before a smile started to creep across his lips.

_How cute, she's jealous._

"Marron," 18's voice entered the room.

17 located her at the side of Vegeta and Bulma. What had surprised him was the quiet venom in her tone.

_Marron . . ._ 17 pondered when the answer surfaced, _That's right, her monk . . . so that's Marron._

"Well, isn't this interesting," 17 remarked softly, "Find yourself a new love Dikon?"

Dikon had put his back to a wall in order to face everyone when 17's question hit him.

He swallowed nervously as he regarded the female who had returned willingly to his arms. She was exotic from anything he had ever seen in the universe and . . . she seemed content with him.

"I guess it depends on her," Dikon answered softly.

Ava's lip curled with disdain, it was one thing to be dropped like a stone but it was another thing entirely to drop a diamond for a piece of filth.

"17 kill him," she ordered coldly.

Ava fumed when he only lifted a brow in her direction.

"No, I don't think I want to, my family isn't in danger anymore," 17 lifted her chin, "Besides what better punishment for him to be put with a girl like her."

Ava growled at her mate, sending him many angry words telepathically.

"It would be poetic justice," 18 leaned against a wall lazily, a cruel smile on her lips.

Vegeta glanced at his mate, curious for her opinion.

"Let him have her," Bulma shrugged dismissively, "She won't be missed."

"Very well," Vegeta locked eyes with Dikon and then 17, "thus far, you both have functioned according to saiyan law for a saiyan mate. However, since neither fighting party is saiyan nor particularly interested in fighting over the saiyan female in question the challenge can be taken back."

Vegeta glanced pointedly at Dikon then at Marron in his arms, "Do you wish to retract your challenge for Ava?"

Dikon felt a glimmer of hope, they were giving him a way out!

"Marron?" Dikon called softly.

"Yes?" She looked at him.

"Will you be mine?" Dikon asked her gently.

"Sure! You're cute!" She beamed.

Dikon smiled, delighted with her.

"I retract my challenge."

Vegeta glanced at 17, "Do you accept this?"

"Yeah, just as long as he stays away from Ava," 17 shrugged, not really caring at this point.

"Good," Vegeta turned to Dikon, "Now, get off my planet before I change my mind and kill you. Never tell anyone of what happened this day and you will not have to worry about being hunted by saiyans."

Dikon nodded with perfect understanding and moved to leave the complex with Marron in tow.

"Are we leaving?" She blinked up at him.

"Yes, we're going to my ship," Dikon passed Vegeta a bit wearily.

"You own a ship!"

The rest of their conversation was cut off by the door as they left the mansion.

"I guess I won't have to worry about her anymore," 18 smirked triumphantly as she made a beeline for her family in the next room.

"That was great, Vegeta! You got rid of two undesirables in one shot!" Bulma tried to kiss him but he moved away.

"What's wrong?" Bulma frowned when she realized they weren't the only ones in the room, "Oh . . . Well, I'm going to work in my empty lab."

Vegeta snorted at her obvious attempt to get him to an isolated area.

"You do that. I am going to train."

Vegeta pivoted on his heel and left the room with Bulma on his tail.

"Train?!"

17 shook his head, he had such a crazy family.

"Are you happy?"

17 closed his eyes as his wife hissed at him.

"You've disgraced me."

"I did no such thing," 17's lips quirked, "You're pride is just smarting because Dikon was so quick to choose another woman over you."

"You were supposed to fight for me," her chin lifted.

"I did," 17 put his hands on his hips, "and it is obvious I won that fight."

Ava deflated as her argument lost ground, _Bastard! What is so fascinating about her?!_

17 watched her almost pout.

"Ava," he wrapped his arms around her stiff form, "He just wasn't willing to die for you, I am."

Her eyes locked on his blue ones.

"You are mine," 17 chuckled, "So stop being so damn sensitive, it isn't like you."

She pushed him away.

"Don't tell me what I am."

17 gazed at her lazily, "Maybe I should take Bardock's advice."

Ava eyed her mate cautiously, "Just what exactly did he advise you to do?"

"Oh you know, show you who wears the pants in the family," 17 shrugged, as if it was nothing while he moved closer to her.

"Pants?" Ava frowned confused.

"Pants," 17 nodded solemnly before throwing her over his shoulder.

"17!" Ava struggled to no avail, "What the hell are you doing?!"

17 only smiled as he opened the front door.

"Me? Oh, I'm going home."

"What about the twins?" Ava demanded.

"They'll be fine at Uncle Vegeta's house," 17 blasted into the air.

"Put me down!" Ava pounded on his back, pissed at being man-handled.

"No," 17 laughed.

**

Vegeta watched Dikon's ship take off without any extra passengers, well besides, the blue girl. Personally, Vegeta was happy she was gone, one Bulma was enough, and this other one was even ditzier than Bulma's mother.

However, Bulma's mother was at least tolerable while this Marron was a complete headache, yes, Vegeta was happy she was gone. He was even more so at the fact that she had left with Dikon. Though why he had let the bounty hunter live was beyond Vegeta. Kakarot must be rubbing off on him.

_Damn you, Kakarot_, Vegeta thought absently, more out of habit than malice.

"Vegeta, I thought you were going to train," Bulma appeared at his side.

"That's what I said I was going to do but you never know," Vegeta glanced at her from the corner of his eye, "Isn't there a circuit board you have to fix in the gravity room?"

Bulma smiled, "You know I think there is but I don't know where it is."

"Then I will just have to show you," Vegeta said, feigning resigned ness.

"I guess you will," Bulma sighed.

The couple disappeared into the gravity room for a couple of hours.

**

"And this is your Grandpa Bardock!" Goku finished his introductions with a flourish.

Bardock studied his grandchildren with a great deal of interest. The oldest Gohan, what kind of name was that anyway, was most promising. Bardock recognized the intelligence reflected in the boy's, or man' s since he did have a mate, eyes.

The younger one, was a virtual clone of his son. Yes, Goten was a handsome one and strong too.

"Where have you been?" Gohan question came out a bit hard.

Goku glanced at his son in surprise, "Gohan--"

"In stasis," Bardock was ecstatic with the boy's attitude, "My ship was hit with a shock wave."

"From what?" Gohan demanded.

"Planet Vegeta's explosion," Bardock, watched Gohan's interest peak.

Yes, his son had done well with his offspring to produce these boys.

"I was going to head to this planet but knocked off course, in stasis I just drifted through space until I landed on another planet with pink inhabitants. They kept calling me . . . Goku . . ."

Bardock trailed off in realization.

"Kakarot, what does yardrat mean to you?"

"Yardrat! You've been to Yardrat! That's where I learned how to instant transmission!" Goku couldn't stop grinning.

"Yes, they were very hospitable," Bardock nodded.

"Grandpa, let's spar!" Goten pulled on Bardock's arm.

"Now Goten honey, he may not--"

"All right, let's spar," Bardock interrupted Chichi as he picked up his grandson and set the boy on his shoulder.

Goten laughed and balanced himself by grabbing a spike of Bardock's hair.

"Outside then," Chichi crossed her arms sternly.

Bardock grinned but nodded. How strange it was to be a part of a family but he felt he would get used to it.

"Kakarot, lead the way."

"Sure! Come on, Gohan!" Goku leaped over the kitchen table and out the back door.

"Hn," Bardock shook his head and followed, "Like a little kid."

"Is that a bad thing to be?" Gohan narrowed his eyes.

Bardock paused in the doorway before pulling Goten of his shoulder, "Go tell your father I will be there in a moment."

"Ok, grandpa," Goten hit the ground running.

Bardock didn't turn to face Gohan, "You have a problem with me?"

"Depends, do you have a problem with my dad?"

"Gohan!" Chichi scolded him, "That is no way to speak to your--"

Bardock lifted a hand for her silence and to Gohan's shock she quieted without a fuss. Though, she did glance at him very disapprovingly as she started to wash dishes.

"You would defend your family against me?" Bardock tilted his head in Gohan's direction.

Gohan lifted his chin, "I would if you were a threat them. Radditz was family too and he tried to kill my dad."

"He did?" Bardock frowned, "Why?"

"He was trying to make my dad join the saiyans," Gohan had a tight-lipped smile, "My dad refused so my uncle decided to kidnap me to force his hand."

"What happened to him?" Bardock let his bangs cover his eyes.

"Piccolo and my dad had to kill him to protect the earth," Gohan watched his relation carefully.

"So Radditz is dead."

Bardock shook his head with regret, "He was always a hot head. I knew he'd pay for it one day. As for your father . . . "

Bardock met Gohan's eyes.

"A saiyan would burst if he were filled with anymore pride. He is a warrior, a father could not ask for more. I pose no more threat to your family than your mother."

"It's our family, Bardock," Chichi remarked sharply.

Bardock's eyes warmed slightly, "You would have made a first class saiyan."

Chichi raised an eyebrow, not sure what to make of it.

Gohan laughed softly, "It's a compliment, Mom, Dad is considered a third class."

Chichi blushed and then frowned to cover her embarrassment.

"You boys better head out because if I know my husband then he'll be wondering why you aren't outside."

Both men nodded in agreement and stepped outside together.

"I'm sorry," Gohan whispered, only loud enough for Bardock to hear.

"Don't be," Bardock smiled slightly, "Any other true saiyan would have done the same."

**

"I have never seen him so happy," Chichi shook her head as she saw her husband practically jumping up and down in his excitement.

"Chichi, who is that?"

Chichi glanced up to see Videl peering over her shoulder.

"Oh, that's your grandfather-in-law on Goku's side."

Videl became wide-eyed as she regarded the older saiyan.

"When did this happen? He looks exactly like Gohan's dad."

"Isn't he handsome?" Chichi felt a smile slip across her lips.

Videl laughed, "He is, Chichi, he is."

End of Chapter Twenty-Three

AN: Stay tuned for the epilogue! Will be put up on Wednesday! Review! Oh also, I was wondering about writing about the kids, they have to grow up sometime! Let me what you think. Bye


	25. Epilogue

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Epilogue

18 sat on the beach gazing out on the ocean as she mused about life.

Her brother and Ava had returned to their life without any major problems. Sasoli had suffered no prolonged effects from being kidnapped while Zarah was just upset on being left out of the fun. 17 was rubbing off on him a bit too much for 18's liking.

The Briefs continued on almost like nothing had happened though, Bulma called her shocked, Vegeta was being more patient with her mom.

18 smiled, she would pay to see that particular event.

Trunks was apparently taking in interest in machines since he discovered Bra had been allowed in Bulma's private lab. Not to be outdone, Trunks devoted as much time studying as training with his father. Bra ignored her brother, according to Bulma, and began her training under her father's strict tutelage. Otherwise, all was well in the Vegeta house, except they had a frequent visitor from the Son house.

18 snorted to herself softly, _the last saiyan scientist._

It only made sense that Bardock would gravitate to Capsule Corp. Not only was Bulma and her dad the smartest humans on the planet but his prince was there as well.

Now there was an interesting relationship! Though, Bardock was obviously Goku's father, at times it seemed that the older saiyan was more suited for the surly saiyan prince, if only in temperament. Goku could be a bit much if you weren't used to him and Bardock wasn't exactly a doting type of person.

It wasn't that Bardock preferred Vegeta to his son . . . Bardock just couldn't quite grasp his son's point of view, he had been a saiyan warrior too long to change now. He visited Vegeta either on his way to experiment with Bulma or just to be with someone who remembered planet Vegeta the way he did.

It became very clear that Bardock was going to teach saiyan tradition to his grandsons so it wouldn't die out.

So life at the Son house was relatively peaceful when the men weren't sparring.

In fact, everyone was amazed at how well Chichi and Bardock got along. When asked she would merely smile and say, "Goku's father is a saiyan version of a gentleman."

18 pushed herself to her feet, as for her family . . . they couldn't be happier.

All in all, everything was peaceful. The only danger 18 could see in the future was when their kids became hormonal and rebellious but that was a ways off.

With a sigh she turned and nearly screamed as her arms were grabbed.

"I've found you!"

18 frowned at the vaguely familiar alien when she realized who he was.

"Prol, what are you doing here?"

The grotesque alien grinned at her, "So you remember me do you. You are a liar, you said you were a Toran not a earthling. Did you lie about having a partner too?"

"No."

18 eyed him coldly, she was just trying to decided how she was going to kill him.

"18?"

18 and Prol turned to find Krillin standing in front of the Kame house frowning.

"Krillin, this isn't what it looks like. I met this alien in space and he thought I had lied about being taken," 18 explained, as she calmly pulled out of the aliens weak grasp.

"This is your partner?!" Prol demanded outraged, how could a short guy like that get a girl like her!

18 ignored him as she concentrated on her little man.

"Krillin, you do believe me right? He means nothing to me."

Krillin sighed, "So, he's just obsessed with you, is that it?"

18 nodded and kissed his cheek, "Yes, though I am not sure why."

"I will kill you and then she will be mine." The alien charged them.

Krillin stepped in front of his wife with a determined look on his face and raised his right hand.

"Destructo Disk!"

"Ha! You think that this puny atta--"

The rest of the alien's words were lost forever as Krillin's disk cut him in half.

"Krillin," 18 was shocked, she had never seen him like this before.

"Hey, no one messes with my woman," Krillin huffed, "It took me long enough to find you."

18 softened and she smiled at her husband as she blasted Prol's remains into oblivion.

"Why aren't you sweet."

Krillin blushed, "Well, it's true!"

18 chuckled as she ran a hand through her husband's hair, "For me too."

The End

AN: I just want to thank everyone for hanging in there with me. You guys are awesome and I really appreciate everyone of your reviews. Thank you so much for reading my story.

I have already started on another story which is set eighteen years later after this time, if anyone is interested. This one will be called _A Warrior's Path_, and it is going to star Zarah. He wasn't in this story too much and so I feel the need to give him his own. As always I'll put up the first chapter on Sunday.

Thanks again, Michelle


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